Guidelines for Christian Living

2 But as for you, teach what is consistent with healthy doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober, serious, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. ³ Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples^[a] of goodness. ⁴ They should encourage the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible and pure, to manage their households, to be kind, and to submit themselves to their husbands. Otherwise, the word of God may be discredited.^[b]

⁶ Likewise, encourage the younger men to be sensible. ⁷ Always set an example for others by doing good actions. Teach with integrity and dignity. ⁸ Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.

⁹ Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with them ¹⁰ or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. ¹² It trains us to renounce ungodly living and worldly passions so that we might live sensible, honest, and godly lives in the present age ¹³ as we wait for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.^{[c] 14} He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds.

¹⁵ These are the things you should teach. Encourage and refute with full authority. Do not let anyone look down on you.