Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good(A)

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. 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. 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) Rather, he must be hospitable,(H) one who loves what is good,(I) who is self-controlled,(J) upright, holy and disciplined. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:5 Or ordain
  2. Titus 1:6 Or children are trustworthy

Titus in Crete

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you:(A) someone who is blameless, married only once,[a] whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious.(B) For a bishop,[b] as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain,(C) but he must be hospitable,[c] a lover of goodness, self-controlled, upright, devout, and restrained, holding tightly to the trustworthy word of the teaching, so that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to refute those who contradict it.

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Footnotes

  1. 1.6 Gk husband of one wife
  2. 1.7 Or an overseer
  3. 1.8 Gk a friend of foreigners

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

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