Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

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

Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.^{(P) 2} Teach the older men^(Q) to be temperate,^(R) worthy of respect, self-controlled,^(S) and sound in faith,^(T) in love and in endurance.

³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers^(U) or addicted to much wine,^(V) but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women^(W) to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled^(X) and pure, to be busy at home,^(Y) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,^(Z) so that no one will malign the word of God.^(AA)

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men^(AB) to be self-controlled.^{(AC) 7} In everything set them an example^(AD) by doing what is good.^(AE) In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.^(AF)