Albert Barnes Commentary Titus 2:8

"sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us." — Titus 2:8 (ASV)

Sound speech.

He was to use language that would be spiritually healthful (ugih)—that is, true, pure, uncorrupted. This word, and its correlatives, are used in this sense in the New Testament only by the apostle Paul. It is commonly applied to the body, meaning that which is healthful, or whole. See Luke 5:31; Luke 6:10; Luke 7:10; Luke 15:27; Matthew 12:13; Matthew 15:31; Mark 3:5; Mark 5:34; John 5:4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15; John 7:23; Acts 4:10; 3 John 1:2.

For Paul's use of the word, see 1 Timothy 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; Titus 2:1, 2, 8. It does not elsewhere occur.

That cannot be condemned. It cannot be shown to be weak or unsound; no one could find fault with it, or an adversary could not take hold of it and blame it. This direction would imply purity and seriousness of language, solidity of argument, and truth in the doctrines which he maintained.

That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed—ashamed that he has opposed such views.