Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
Young.
Job 29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
Psalm 148:12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
sober-minded.
Titus 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
urge the younger men
Paul instructs Titus to actively encourage and guide younger men, highlighting the importance of mentorship and discipleship within the church. This reflects the early Christian emphasis on community and the passing down of wisdom and instruction from one generation to the next. The role of a mentor is crucial in helping younger believers grow in their faith and character, as seen in the relationship between Paul and Timothy (1 Timothy 4:12).
to be self-controlled
Self-control is a recurring theme in the New Testament and is considered a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It involves mastery over one's desires and impulses, aligning one's actions with God's will. In the Greco-Roman world, self-control was also a valued virtue, often associated with wisdom and maturity. For young men, who might be more prone to impulsive behavior, this exhortation is particularly relevant. The call to self-control is echoed in other scriptures, such as 1 Peter 5:8, where believers are urged to be sober-minded and vigilant.
Paul has just addressed older men, older women, and younger women (Titus 2:1-5). By writing, “In the same way,” he links younger men to the same pattern of godly living already outlined.
• The standard does not vary by age or gender; each group is called to visible holiness (compare Titus 2:1-5 and 1 Peter 1:15-16).
• Like 1 Peter 3:1,7, the phrase signals continuity: every believer’s conduct should align with God’s character.
• The gospel is at stake in daily behavior, for “so that the word of God will not be maligned” (Titus 2:5).
Paul instructs Titus: “urge” (or “exhort,”). The command is active and ongoing.
• Shepherding involves persistent encouragement, not one-time advice—see Acts 20:31; 2 Timothy 4:2.
• Urging springs from love for the flock; like 1 Thessalonians 2:11, Titus must “encourage, comfort, and implore” as a father with his children.
• The verb underscores urgency: young men face unique pressures; they need steady reminders of the path of wisdom (Proverbs 4:1-7).
Paul singles out this group because strength and ambition can easily drift into folly (Proverbs 7:7, 20:29).
• Youth is a season of opportunity—see 1 John 2:14, where young men are “strong” and “the word of God abides” in them.
• It is also a season of vulnerability; therefore Peter urges, “You who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders” (1 Peter 5:5).
• By addressing them directly, Scripture validates their importance in the church’s witness and health.
The sole trait Paul lists here captures the root discipline from which other virtues flow.
• Self-control appears repeatedly in this chapter (Titus 2:2,5,6,12), underlining its centrality.
• It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), cultivated as believers “deny ungodliness and worldly passions” (Titus 2:12).
• Practical outworking:
– Mastery of thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5)
– Purity in speech (Ephesians 4:29)
– Restraint with appetites (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
– Wise use of time and resources (Ephesians 5:15-17)
• The goal is not mere self-improvement but gospel adornment: “so that those who oppose you may be ashamed” (Titus 2:8).
Titus 2:6 calls church leaders to keep appealing to younger men, urging them to channel their youthful energy into Spirit-enabled self-control. In harmony with the instructions to every other group, this discipline guards the reputation of the gospel and equips the next generation to serve Christ faithfully.
(6) Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.--The task of influencing the young men belongs especially to Titus. Among them, in respect to age, he still must be reckoned; as regarded their peculiar temptations, none could be found so fit as the still young Christian disciple of St. Paul (he 'was probably about forty years of age when he was placed over the Cretan Church) to set out vividly before them both the peril and the only means of guarding against it. Brought up in a Pagan home, not improbably in the luxurious and wicked Syrian Antioch, drawn to the Master's side in the fresh dawn of manhood, tried in many a difficult task and found faithful, the words of Titus, exhorting the youth of Crete to be sober-minded, or self-restrained, would be likely to have great weight. In this word, which urged self-restraint, a young man's duty is briefly comprehended. No task, the wise Chrysostom tells us, is after all so hard and difficult for youth, as obtaining the mastery over oneself in the matter of harmful pleasures. The Apostle gives but few special directions here for his disciple's guidance, for he is going to tell him how he will best win these young men to the side of Christ. It will be, he proceeds to show him, most effectually done by the sight of the example of his own manly, self-restrained religious life.Verse 6. - The younger for young, A.V. The younger (see 1 Peter 5:5, where, however, the νεώτεροι are contrasted with the πρεσβύτεροι, as in 1 Timothy 5:1; here with πρεσβύτας in ver. 2).