Titus 3:5 (YLT)

Passage

(not by works that <FI>are<Fi> in righteousness that we did but according to His kindness,) He did save us, through a bathing of regeneration, and a renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Nearby Context

Titus 3:3 for we were once--also we--thoughtless, disobedient, led astray, serving desires and pleasures manifold, in malice and envy living, odious--hating one another;

Titus 3:4 and when the kindness and the love to men of God our Saviour did appear

Titus 3:5 (not by works that <FI>are<Fi> in righteousness that we did but according to His kindness,) He did save us, through a bathing of regeneration, and a renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:6 which He poured upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

Titus 3:7 that having been declared righteous by His grace, heirs we may become according to the hope of life age-during.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "works", "righteousness", "kindness", "save", "through", "bathing", and "regeneration". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "works", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "and when the kindness and the love..." into verse 6's "which He poured upon us richly through...", so "Spirit" and "works" 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 "Spirit" and "works" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.