Greeting

Paul, a servant[a] of God and (A)an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and (B)their knowledge of the truth, (C)which accords with godliness, (D)in hope of eternal life, which God, (E)who never lies, (F)promised (G)before the ages began[b] and (H)at the proper time manifested in his word[c] (I)through the preaching (J)with which I have been entrusted (K)by the command of God our Savior;

To Titus, (L)my true child in (M)a common faith:

(N)Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications for Elders

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

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, (Y)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of (Z)the circumcision party.[h] 11 They must be silenced, since (AA)they are upsetting whole families by teaching (AB)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 (AC)One of the Cretans,[i] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[j] 13 This testimony is true. Therefore (AD)rebuke them (AE)sharply, that they (AF)may be sound in the faith, 14 (AG)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and (AH)the commands of people (AI)who turn away from the truth. 15 (AJ)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and (AK)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both (AL)their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 (AM)They profess to know God, but they (AN)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, (AO)unfit for any good work.

Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  2. Titus 1:2 Greek before times eternal
  3. Titus 1:3 Or manifested his word
  4. Titus 1:6 Or a man of one woman
  5. Titus 1:6 Or are faithful
  6. Titus 1:7 Or bishop; Greek episkopos
  7. Titus 1:9 Or healthy; also verse 13
  8. Titus 1:10 Or especially those of the circumcision
  9. Titus 1:12 Greek One of them
  10. Titus 1:12 Probably from Epimenides of Crete

Greeting

Paul,(A) a servant of God(B) and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for[a] the faith of God’s elect(C) and their knowledge of the truth(D) that leads[b] to godliness,(E) in the hope of eternal life(F) that God, who cannot lie,(G) promised before time began.(H) In his own time he has revealed(I) his word(J) in the preaching with which I was entrusted(K) by the command(L) of God our Savior:(M)

To Titus,(N) my true son(O) in our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.(P)

Titus’s Ministry in Crete

The reason I left you in Crete(Q) was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders(R) in every town. An elder(S) must be blameless,(T) the husband of one wife, with faithful[c] children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. As an overseer(U) of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful message as taught,(V) so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching(W) 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.(X) For this reason, rebuke them sharply,(Y) so that they may be sound in the faith 14 and may not pay attention to Jewish myths(Z) and the commands of people who reject the truth.(AA)

15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience(AB) are defiled. 16 They claim to know God,(AC) but they deny him by their works.(AD) They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Or according to
  2. 1:1 Or corresponds
  3. 1:6 Or believing