wine

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), in sar as kasə nduú or “grape drink” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).

In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )

The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)

In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).

In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine, wine (Japanese honorifics), filled with new wine, and wine (Gen 27:28).

complete verse (Titus 2:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Titus 2:3:

  • Uma: “So also old women, teach them so that their actions are like people who submit to the Lord God, not speaking evil of others, not addicted to drinking intoxicants, and faithful in teaching others to make-good their actions.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Like that also teach to the old women. Their customs ought to be good so that God is pleased with them. They should not slander their companions and not habitually-drink (alcoholic understood). Their teachings should be good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What you teach to the older women is just the same. God must always be pleased with their deeds. They are not gossips, they are not habitual drinkers of wine. They must always teach good deeds” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for the collective-older-women moreover, advise them also to follow a holy lifestyle that is appropriate to their faith. Advise them also not to speak-evil-of their companions or get-drunk, but rather that they teach what is good” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Like that too are the old/mature women. Teach them that it’s necessary that they always live lives in harmony with the will of God. They are not to be gossipers, not a slave to intoxicating-drink. On the contrary, they are to be explaining/making-clear the nature/ways which please God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And also the old women, tell them that they should live so as to be respected. They are not to bite in their speaking. They are not to be drunkards. All that is good, they are to show.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) (verses 3-5): “Exactly the same applies to the older women. They should reflect God’s holiness in their entire demeanor, they should not cause unrest, they should not be enslaved to wine, but they should act as teachers of the good and thus lead a prudent life. The younger women should love their husbands and children. They should live prudently and purely before God, manage their household well and yet voluntarily submit to their husbands so that God’s message cannot be maligned in society.” (This reflects what Ulrich Wendel [in: Werner 2018, p. 73ff.] mentions as a possible translation of these verses. Here it’s not the old women teaching the young women but Titus is instructed to teach both of these groups. Wendel is coming to that conclusion on the basis of the parallelism of verses 2-6 [older men – old women – young women – young men] and the fact that sóphronizó (σωφρονίζω) in verse 4 does not necessarily have “young women” as its object.)

Translation commentary on Titus 2:3

This verse does not contain a main verb but assumes the verb of the previous verse; so Bid, “instruct” (Good News Translation).

The term for older women occurs only here in the whole New Testament; it is the counterpart to “older men” in the previous verse, which means that the accent is also on age.

For likewise see 1 Tim 2.9 (where it is rendered “also”) and 3.8. Here as there, it is used to connect the present verse with the previous one.

The instruction to these women consists of four parts, the first and the last being positive, and the second and third negative, thus forming a chiastic structure, A-B-B′-A′.

First, these older women are to be reverent in their behavior. Both of these words appear only here in the whole New Testament. Reverent translates a word that appropriately describes devotion and conviction in matters of religious belief and behavior; hence “devout,” “pious.” It has been suggested that this term can also be used to mean “to act like a temple priestess,” which would mean that the devotion of these women should parallel the devotion of those who serve as priestesses in the temple. Behavior, on the other hand, translates a word that refers generally to a person’s conduct and way of life. Another way to express this is “behave as women do who live lives devoted (or, dedicated) to God.”

What follows are two negative habits to be avoided. For slanderers see 1 Tim 3.11. An expression similar to slaves to drink appears in 1 Tim 3.8.

And finally, these older women are to teach what is good. This translates a compound word combining the word “good” or “beautiful” with “teacher,” hence “teacher of what is good.” This may refer to formal teaching but more likely refers to informal teaching, which includes teaching about proper living by both word and example. The term occurs only here in the whole New Testament.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• You must also tell the older women to behave as women should who live lives devoted to God. They must not say harmful things about other people or be addicted to wine. They must also teach the way to live a good (or, proper) life.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Titus. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Titus 2:3

2:3a

Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the verb are and the verb to be. Here are some other ways to translate this:

instruct the older women to behave as women should who live a holy life (Good News Bible)
-or-
Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God. (God’s Word)

Older women: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Older women is used only here in the New Testament. The context suggests that it refers to women who were of a similar age to the men mentioned in 2:2, women in their forties or fifties or older.

likewise: This word indicates that Paul’s next comments are similar to what he has just said. The older women should act in similar ways to the older men. Another way to translate this is:

In the same way

reverent: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as reverent refers to behavior appropriate for a holy person, that is, someone who is dedicated to God.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase:

exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy (NET Bible)
-or-
to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God (God’s Word)
-or-
to show their dedication to God

or

to behave as holy women should

in their behavior: The phrase refers generally to the way that they live, particularly the way they speak and look. The older women should act in ways that other people could see that they were dedicated to God.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in the way they live (New International Version (2011 Revision))

or

in all that they do

2:3b

not slanderers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as slanderers refers to people who accuse others of bad behavior. Here it refers to gossips, people who tell bad stories about others.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

not speaking against others (New Century Version)

or

not to be gossips (God’s Word)

This behavior, and the one that follows, is something the older women should not do. In some languages it might be natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

They should not be slanderers
-or-
Tell them not to be gossips (God’s Word)

or addicted to much wine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as addicted is more literally “enslaved.” It refers to a person who is completely controlled by something or someone else. It is the second behavior the older women should not follow.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

or enslaved to too much wine (New Century Version)
-or-
not slaves to excessive drinking (NET Bible)

or

and not controlled by alcohol

much wine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wine refers to a fermented alcoholic drink. It was a very common everyday drink in cultures of that time and place. Usually water was added to make it less intoxicating. The word much refers to drinking an excess of wine. Paul was not saying that the older women should not drink any wine at all.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

too much wine (New Century Version)

or

excessive drinking (NET Bible)

2:3c

but teachers of good: In Greek this is a single word meaning “good teacher.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word but to indicate a contrast with what the women should not do. However, most English versions connect this word to the positive instructions which follow in 2:4-5. If you connect it to what follows, it may not be necessary to supply a conjunction indicating contrast.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

They must be teachers of right behavior (New Jerusalem Bible)

or

They must teach what is proper (Contemporary English Version)

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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.