Titus 1:16

They profess that they know God Vulg. -confitentur"; -profess" is retained by R.V., though its modern sense is more generally -pretend": the Greek is -openly acknowledge," and the word is used of those Books of the Bible which are -homologoumena," -fully acknowledged." This sense of -profess" remains in our -Professor" or Public Teacher. Cf. Matthew 7:23 -then will I profess unto them."

being abominable, and disobedient Vulg. -cum sint abominati." Compare Revelation 21:8 -the fearful and unbelieving and abominable," 27 -anything unclean or he that maketh an abomination and a lie."

unto every good work reprobate The first of six occurrences of the phrase -good or -fair" -work" in this Epistle, cf. Titus 2:7; Titus 2:14; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14. So in 1 Tim. it occurs six times and twice in 2 Tim. For the force of this particular word for -good" see note on 1 Timothy 1:18. The application of sound doctrine to daily life is the natural and necessary object of the Apostle at this stage of progress in the Christian Church. See Introduction, pp. 32 34. -Reprobate" comes from the Vulg. -reprobi"; the Greek is lit. -unable to stand the test," -tried and found wanting." It occurs again 2 Timothy 3:8. Its best known use is in 1 Corinthians 9:27 -lest after I have preached to others I myself should be rejected." Worthless here gives the force.