Titus 2:8 (KJV)

Passage

Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Nearby Context

Titus 2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Titus 2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

Titus 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "condemn", "sound", "speech", "condemned", "contrary", "part", "ashamed", and "having". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "condemn" and "sound", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "In all things shewing thyself a pattern..." into verse 9's "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their...", so "condemn" and "sound" belong inside that flow. In Titus context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "condemn" and "sound" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.