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Titus 1:4-13
New International Version
Titus 1:4-13
New International Version
4 To Titus,(A) my true son(B) in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.(C)
Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good(D)
5 The reason I left you in Crete(E) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders(F) in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless,(G) 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(H) manages God’s household,(I) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(J) 8 Rather, he must be hospitable,(K) one who loves what is good,(L) who is self-controlled,(M) upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly(N) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine(O) and refute those who oppose it.
Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good
10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(P) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(Q) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(R) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(S) has said it: “Cretans(T) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(U) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(V)
Footnotes
- Titus 1:5 Or ordain
- Titus 1:6 Or children are trustworthy
- Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
Titus 1:4-13
New English Translation
Titus 1:4-13
New English Translation
4 To Titus, my genuine son in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!
Titus’ Task on Crete
5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless,[a] the husband of one wife,[b] with faithful children[c] who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer[d] must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work,[e] not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. 8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught,[f] so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching[g] and correct those who speak against it.
10 For there are many[h] rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections,[i] 11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught. 12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[j] 13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith
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- Titus 1:6 tn Grk “if anyone is blameless…” as a continuation of v. 5b, beginning to describe the elder’s character.
- Titus 1:6 tn Or “married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife.” See the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9.
- Titus 1:6 tn Or “believing children.” The phrase could be translated “believing children,” but the parallel with 1 Tim 3:4 (“keeping his children in control”) argues for the sense given in the translation.
- Titus 1:7 sn The overseer is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in this passage and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between these verses and 1 Tim 3:1-7.
- Titus 1:7 tn Grk “as God’s steward.”
- Titus 1:9 tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).
- Titus 1:9 tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).
- Titus 1:10 tc ‡ The earliest and best mss lack καί (kai) after πολλοί (polloi; so א A C P 088 81 104 365 614 629 630 al sy co), though the conjunction is found in several significant witnesses, chiefly of the Western and Byzantine texts (D F G I Ψ 33 1241 1505 1739 1881 M lat), giving the sense “also many.” Although it is possible that some scribes omitted the word, thinking it was superfluous, it is also possible that others added the conjunction for clarification. Judging by the pedigree of the witnesses and the inconclusiveness of the internal evidence, the shorter reading is considered to be most likely autographic. NA28 puts the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
- Titus 1:10 tn Grk “those of the circumcision.” Some translations take this to refer to Jewish converts to Christianity (cf. NAB “Jewish Christians”; TEV “converts from Judaism”; CEV “Jewish followers”) while others are less clear (cf. NLT “those who insist on circumcision for salvation”).
- Titus 1:12 sn A saying attributed to the poet Epimenides of Crete (6th century b.c.).
Titus 1:4-13
King James Version
Titus 1:4-13
King James Version
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
5 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:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 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;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 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.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
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