3:2a

to malign no one: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as malign means “blaspheme/defame/revile.” Titus was to teach that Christians should not speak evil of anyone falsely. See 2:5d and 2:3b.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

to speak no evil about anyone (New Century Version)
-or-
They must not slander anyone (NET Bible)

3:2b

and to be peaceable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as peaceable describes someone who does not quickly or often fight with others. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

to live in peace (New Century Version)
-or-
not…argue (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to avoid quarrels (Revised English Bible)

and gentle: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gentle means “considerate, forbearing, yielding.” It is the opposite of being aggressive. It describes people who are gracious and patient in their behavior toward others and do not demand their own way and their own rights. A modern English term for such people is “mellow.” Here are some other ways to translate this:

kind (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
not demanding their own way
-or-
respectful/thoughtful of others

3:2c

showing full consideration to everyone: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as full can be interpreted in two ways:

(1) It means that consideration should be complete and shown in all kinds of different ways. For example:

to show perfect courtesy to all people (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New American Standard Bible, King James Version, NET Bible, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

(2) It means consideration should be shown at all times. Believers should always show consideration to others. For example:

and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone (Good News Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Bible, Revised English Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision))

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1). Most scholars understand the word this way. In some languages it may be possible to combine the ideas by using a word meaning “consistent”:

show consistent courtesy/gentleness to all
-or-
have a consistently courteous/gentle attitude toward everyone

showing full consideration: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as showing…consideration is literally “showing gentleness.” In some languages it may be more natural to say:

act with gentleness

to everyone: This last phrase to everyone means “in your dealings with everyone.” The idea here is that the believers were to show gentleness and courtesy to their unbelieving pagan neighbors and not just to other Christians.

© 2000 by SIL International®

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.