Qualifications for Elders

(A)This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and (B)appoint elders in every town as I directed you— (C)if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,[a] and his children are believers[b] and not open to the charge of (D)debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer,[c] (E)as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not (F)be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent (G)or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, (H)and disciplined. He must (I)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in (J)sound[d] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, (K)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of (L)the circumcision party.[e] 11 They must be silenced, since (M)they are upsetting whole families by teaching (N)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 (O)One of the Cretans,[f] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[g] 13 This testimony is true. Therefore (P)rebuke them (Q)sharply, that they (R)may be sound in the faith, 14 (S)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and (T)the commands of people (U)who turn away from the truth. 15 (V)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and (W)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both (X)their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 (Y)They profess to know God, but they (Z)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, (AA)unfit for any good work.

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Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:6 Or a man of one woman
  2. Titus 1:6 Or are faithful
  3. Titus 1:7 Or bishop; Greek episkopos
  4. Titus 1:9 Or healthy; also verse 13
  5. Titus 1:10 Or especially those of the circumcision
  6. Titus 1:12 Greek One of them
  7. Titus 1:12 Probably from Epimenides of Crete

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