Titus 3:9
◄  Titus 3:9  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

International Standard Version (©2012)
But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the Law. These things are useless and worthless.

NET Bible (©2006)
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But abstain from foolish debates, from tales of genealogies, from contentions and from the contests of The Scribes, for there is no profit in them and such things are worthless.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about Moses' Teachings. This is useless and worthless.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

American King James Version
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

American Standard Version
but shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.

Darby Bible Translation
But foolish questions, and genealogies, and strifes, and contentions about the law, shun; for they are unprofitable and vain.

English Revised Version
but shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Webster's Bible Translation
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Weymouth New Testament
But hold yourself aloof from foolish controversies and pedigrees and discussions and wrangling about the Law, for they are useless and vain.

World English Bible
but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Young's Literal Translation
and foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about law, stand away from -- for they are unprofitable and vain.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:8-11 When the grace of God towards mankind has been declared, the necessity of good works is pressed. Those who believe in God, must make it their care to maintain good works, to seek opportunities for doing them, being influenced by love and gratitude. Trifling, foolish questions must be avoided, and subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor should people be eager after novelties, but love sound doctrine which tends most to edifying. Though we may now think some sins light and little, if the Lord awaken the conscience, we shall feel even the smallest sin heavy upon our souls.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Shun for avoid, A.V.; questionings for questions, A.V.; strifes for contentions, A.V.; fightings for strivings, A.V. Shun (περάτασο); see 2 Timothy 2:16. Foolish questionings; as 2 Timothy 2:23. Genealogies; as 1 Timothy 1:4. Strifes (ἔρεις); as 1 Timothy 6:4. Fightings about the Law (μάχας νομικάς); such as St. Paul alludes to in 1 Timothy 1, and are probably included in the λογομαχίαιof 1 Timothy 6:4. Unprofitable (ἀνωφελεῖς); only here and Hebrews 7:18; but it is found in the LXX. and other Greek Versions, and in classical Greek (compare, for the sense, 2 Timothy 2:14). Vain (μάταιοι); compare the use of ματαιολόγοι, "vain talkers" (Titus 1:10), and ματαιολογία "vain talking" (1 Timothy 1:6). The whole picture is unmistakably one of the perverse Jewish mind.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But avoid foolish questions,.... Such as were started in the schools of the Jews; see 2 Timothy 2:23

and genealogies; of their elders, Rabbins, and doctors, by whom their traditions are handed down from one to another, in fixing which they greatly laboured; see 1 Timothy 1:4 and contentions and strivings about the law; the rites and ceremonies of it, and about the sense of it, and its various precepts, as litigated in the schools of Hillell and Shammai, the one giving it one way, and the other another; and what one declared to be free according to the law, the other declared forbidden; which occasioned great contentions and quarrels between the followers of the one, and of the other, as both the Misna and Talmud show: and agreeably to this sense, the Syriac version renders it, "the contentions and strifes of the scribes"; the Jewish doctors, who were some on the side of Hillell, and others on the side of Shammai; as well as went into parties and strifes among themselves, and oftentimes about mere trifles; things of no manner of importance; wherefore it follows,

for they are unprofitable and vain; empty things, of no manner of use, to inform the judgment, improve the mind, or influence the life and conversation.

Titus 3:9 Parallel Commentaries
Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Avoiding Divisions
9But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; 11Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself.

1 Timothy 1:4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God's work--which is by faith.
2 Timothy 2:14 Keep reminding God's people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
2 Timothy 2:23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?