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Salutation

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began, and has in due time revealed His word through preaching, with which I was entrusted according to the command of God our Savior,

To Titus, my own son in the common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus’ Work in Crete

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I commanded you: any man who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children who are not accused of being wild or unruly. For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not easily angered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, self-controlled, just, holy, temperate, holding firmly the trustworthy word that is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and to convince those who oppose it.

10 For there are many unruly men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced, who subvert whole houses by teaching for dishonest gain things they ought not teach. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons!” 13 This witness is true. So rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Even their minds and consciences are defiled. 16 They profess that they know God, but in their deeds they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and worthless for every good work.

Greeting

Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of the chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth that is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life which God, who does not lie, promised before eternal ages, but at the proper time has disclosed his message in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the command of God our Savior, to Titus, my true child according to a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Instructions to Titus in Crete

On account of this, I left you behind in Crete, in order that what remains may be set in order and you may appoint elders in every town, as I ordered you. If anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful[a] children, not accused of dissipation[b] or rebellious. For it is necessary for the overseer to be blameless as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, prudent, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast to the faithful message according to the teaching, in order that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to reprove those who speak against it.

10 For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whom it is necessary to silence, whoever are ruining whole families by[c] teaching things which must not be taught for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 A certain one of them, one of their own prophets, has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true, for which reason reprove them severely, in order that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him, because they[d] are detestable and disobedient, and unfit for every good deed.

Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:6 Or “believing”
  2. Titus 1:6 Literally “with an accusation of dissipation”
  3. Titus 1:11 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“teaching”) which is understood as means
  4. Titus 1:16 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal