Titus 2:14 (KJV)

What does Titus 2:14 mean?

Titus 2:14 describes Jesus giving himself for the sake of others. His purpose is to free them from wrongdoing and make them a people who belong to him, with a strong desire to do what is good.

The verse follows the mention of Jesus Christ in verse 13 and explains what his self-giving was meant to accomplish. The image is of people being freed and made clean, then set apart as his own.

The Greek behind Titus 2:14

• “redeem” — λυτρόω (lytroō): The Greek carries the sense of setting someone free by paying a price. It evokes the release of someone held in slavery or captivity.
• “peculiar” — περιούσιος (periousios): The Greek describes something specially possessed or treasured. In the KJV, “peculiar people” means a people belonging especially to Jesus, not people who are odd.
• “zealous” — ζηλωτής (zēlōtēs): The word describes someone eager or devoted. Here, the people’s eagerness is directed toward “good works.”

Why Titus 2:14 matters

• The verse describes more than release from wrongdoing. “Purify unto himself” adds the picture of a people made clean for Jesus.
• Good works are presented as the desire of the people Jesus makes his own. The phrase “zealous of good works” describes their eagerness, not merely a list of actions.
• The wording recalls descriptions of Israel as God’s treasured people, such as Exodus 19:5–6. That background gives “peculiar people” the sense of a community with a special place as God’s own.