Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good^(A)

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete^(B) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint^[a] elders^(C) in every town, as I directed you. ⁶ An elder must be blameless,^(D) faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe^[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. ⁷ Since an overseer^(E) manages God’s household,^(F) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.^{(G) 8} Rather, he must be hospitable,^(H) one who loves what is good,^(I) who is self-controlled,^(J) upright, holy and disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firmly^(K) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine^(L) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk^(M) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.^{(N) 11} They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households^(O) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹² One of Crete’s own prophets^(P) has said it: “Cretans^(Q) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”^{[c] 13} This saying is true. Therefore rebuke^(R) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith^{(S) 14} and will pay no attention to Jewish myths^(T) or to the merely human commands^(U) of those who reject the truth.^{(V) 15} To the pure, all things are pure,^(W) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(X) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(Y) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(Z) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(AA)

Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.^(AB)

²⁸ When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”^(A)

²⁹ He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰ When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God^(B) is near.

³² “Truly I tell you, this generation^(C) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(D)