²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock^(A) of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,^(B) to shepherd the church of God,^[a] which he purchased with his own blood.^{(C) 29} I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.^{(D) 31} Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.^(E)

³² “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,^(F) which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance^(G) among all who are sanctified. ³³ I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(H) 34} You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.^{(I) 35} In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

¹² For just as the body is one^(A) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.^{(B) 13} For we were all baptized by^[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.^{(C) 14} Indeed, the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.^{(D) 19} And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. ²³ And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,^(E) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, ²⁴ which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division^(F) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(G) and individual members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church:^(H) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,^(I) next miracles,^(J) then gifts of healing,^(K) helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.^{[b] 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?^{(L) 31} But desire^(M) the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

⁷ Now grace was given to each one of us^(A) according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ For it says:

⁹ But what does “he ascended” mean except that he^[b] also descended to the lower parts of the earth?^{[c](D) 10} The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens,^(E) to fill all things.^{(F) 11} And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,^{(G) 13} until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,^(H) growing into maturity with a stature^(I) measured by Christ’s fullness. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,^(J) by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head^(K)—Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, fitted and knit together^(L) by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth^(M) of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

3 This saying is trustworthy:^(A) “If anyone aspires to be an overseer,^[a](B) he desires a noble work.” ² An overseer,^(C) therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible,^(D) respectable, hospitable,^(E) able to teach, ³ not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy.^{(F) 4} He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. ⁵ (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) ⁶ He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.^{(G) 7} Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s^(H) trap.

⁸ Deacons,^(I) likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ holding the mystery of the faith^(J) with a clear conscience.^{(K) 10} They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. ¹¹ Wives,^[b](L) likewise, should be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled,^(M) faithful in everything. ¹² Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Titus’s Ministry in Crete

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete^(A) was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders^(B) in every town. ⁶ An elder^(C) must be blameless,^(D) the husband of one wife, with faithful^[a] children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. ⁷ As an overseer^(E) of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding to the faithful message as taught,^(F) so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching^(G) and to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. ¹¹ It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. ¹² One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true.^(H) For this reason, rebuke them sharply,^(I) so that they may be sound in the faith ¹⁴ and may not pay attention to Jewish myths^(J) and the commands of people who reject the truth.^(K)

About the Elders

5 I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness^(A) to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed:^{(B) 2} Shepherd God’s flock among you,^(C) not overseeing^[a] out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you;^[b] not out of greed for money but eagerly; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd^(D) appears, you will receive the unfading crown^(E) of glory. ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with^[c] humility toward one another, because