For Do your best see previous verse.

There is nothing else known about Zenas, since he is only mentioned here. He is identified as a lawyer, but it is not known whether he specialized in Roman, or Greek, or Jewish law. At any rate, since lawyer only functions to identify Zenas, it is not necessary to include any further explanations about it. Apollos is also mentioned in the book of Acts (18.24; 19.1) and in the Corinthian correspondence (1 Cor 1.12; 3.4; 16.12); it is possible that these references are talking about the same person, but of course it is difficult to be certain.

Speed … on their way can mean “to accompany,” “to escort”; but “to aid in travel” seems to be the meaning here. This same verb occurs in other parts of the New Testament in similar contexts (see, for example, Acts 15.3; 21.5; Rom 15.24; 1 Cor 16.6, 11; 2 Cor 1.16; 3 John 6), which seems to indicate that aiding Christian travelers was a usual practice at that time. Such aid was necessary since travel was quite difficult, and Christian travelers would feel much more at home with fellow Christians. In the present case, presumably Zenas and Apollos would have stayed in Crete for some time, and the instructions are for the time when they are ready to leave and go on with their journey. Their destination is not mentioned in the letter.

See (Good News Translation “see to it”) is literally “in order that,” the sense being that Timothy should give all aid and assistance to the two travelers to guarantee that they have everything they need to continue on in their journey. Lack nothing is literally “nothing is lacking,” which refers to the things they need for their journey, including provisions. The idea may be expressed positively; for example, “they have everything they need” (Good News Translation) or “everything they need for the journey.”

The very fact that Paul knows that Zenas and Apollos are in Crete has led some interpreters to infer that these two men must have been with Paul (wherever he was), and that when Paul had found out they were going through Crete, he requested them to take along his letter to Titus. Ingenious and attractive as this theory may be, it is at best speculative; it may or may not be true, but then, what difference does it make in the proper translation of this passage?

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• When Zenas the lawyer and Apollos get ready to leave, help them in every way you can, so that they will have everything they need for the journey.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Titus. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .