Tag Archives: Titus 2:14

Titus 2:14

ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων.

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

Voluntary Sacrifice and Purpose Clauses ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν – “who gave himself for us.” The relative pronoun ὃς refers to Jesus Christ. ἔδωκεν is the aorist active indicative of δίδωμι, a deliberate past act. The reflexive pronoun ἑαυτὸν (“himself”) stresses voluntary self-offering. The preposition ὑπὲρ with the genitive means “on behalf of” or “for the benefit of”—a standard expression of substitutionary action.… Learn Koine Greek

This densely packed verse from Paul’s epistle to Titus presents one of the clearest soteriological summaries in the New Testament. Every clause is loaded with purpose and theological intent, and the grammar of Titus 2:14 reflects it: ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων. The sentence is built around purpose clauses with subjunctives, a reflexive act of sacrifice, and a vision of God’s people as redeemed, purified, and eager to do good.

The Greek Text in Focus

ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων (Titus 2:14)

“Who gave himself for us, so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people of his own possession, zealous for good works.”… Learn Koine Greek