Bible Strands
Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to Titus, his delegate in Crete, identifying false teachers among the Cretan churches as part of a pastoral charge (vv. 10–16).
The words — ὁμολογοῦσιν (homologousin, "they say the same," i.e., publicly confess) is set against ἀρνοῦνται (arnountai, a strong, repeated denial or rejection), making the verse a public-confession-versus-public-rejection pairing.
The thread — 1 John 2:4 repeats the same test (claiming knowledge without obedience = lying); Isaiah 29:13 supplies the prophetic root of lip-honor divorced from heart.
Why it lands — It forces the reader to check whether their own profession of knowing God is corroborated by what they actually do, and to accept that the answer may be no.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Cross-references
- 1 John 2:4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
- Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Ezekiel 33:31 So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.
- 2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
- Jude 1:4 For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
- Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Revelation 21:27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
- 1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.