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Paul, the servant of God, and apostle of Jesus Christ, by the faith of the chosen of God, and by the knowing of the truth [after the faith of the chosen of God, and knowing of the truth], which is after piety,

into the hope of everlasting life [in hope of everlasting life], which life God that lieth not, promised before times of the world [before worldly times];

but he hath showed in his times his word in preaching, that is betaken to me by the commandment of God, our Saviour [after the commandment of our Saviour God],

to Titus, most dear-worthy son by the common faith [to Titus, beloved son after the common faith], grace and peace of God the Father, and of Christ Jesus, our Saviour.

For cause of this thing I left thee at Crete, that thou amend those things that fail, and ordain priests by cities, as also I assigned to thee [as and I disposed to thee].

If any man is without crime, an husband of one wife, and hath faithful sons [If any man is without crime, or great sin, husband of one wife, having faithful sons], not in accusation of lechery, or not subject.

For it behooveth a bishop to be without crime, [as] a dispenser of God, not proud, not wrathful, not given to drunkenness [not vinolent, that is, much given to wine], not [a] smiter, not covetous of foul winning;

but holding hospitality, benign, prudent, sober, just, holy, continent,

taking that true word, that is after doctrine; that he be mighty to admonish in wholesome teaching, and to reprove them that gainsay.[a]

10 For there be many unobedient, and vain speakers, and deceivers, most they that be of circumcision,

11 which it behooveth to be reproved [whom it behooveth to be reproved]; which subvert all houses, teaching which things it behooveth not, for [the] love of foul winning.

12 And one of them, their proper prophet said [Some one of them, the proper prophet of them, said], said, Men of Crete be evermore liars, evil beasts, of slow womb [slow of womb].

13 This witnessing is true. For which cause blame them sore, that they be whole in faith,

14 not giving attention to fables of Jews, and to commandments of men, that turn away them from truth [turning them away from truth].

15 And all things be clean to clean men; but to unclean men and to unfaithful nothing is clean, for the soul and conscience of them be made unclean [but and the soul, or reason, and conscience of them be made unclean].

16 They acknowledge that they know God, but by deeds they deny [him]; when they be abominable, and unbelieveful, and reprovable to all good work [to all good works].

But speak thou those things that beseem wholesome teaching; [Forsooth speak thou the things that become wholesome teaching;]

that old men be sober, chaste, prudent, whole in faith, in love, and patience;

also old women in holy habit, not slanderers [not backbiters, or saying false blame on other men], not serving much to wine, well-teaching, that they teach prudence.

Admonish thou young women, that they love their husbands, that they love their children;

and that they be prudent, chaste, sober, having care of the house, benign, subject to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Also admonish young men, that they be sober.

In all things give thyself ensample of good works, in teaching, in wholeness, in firmness.[b]

An wholesome word [An whole word], and unreprovable; that he that is of the contrary side, be ashamed, having none evil thing to say of you.

Admonish thou servants to be subject to their lords; in all things pleasing, not again-saying,

10 not defrauding, but in all things showing good faith, that they honour in all things the doctrine of God, our Saviour [that they adorn in all things the doctrine of God, our Saviour].

11 For the grace of God, our Saviour, hath appeared to all men,

12 and taught us, that we forsake wickedness and worldly desires, and live soberly, and justly, and piously in this world, [teaching us, that we, forsaking unpiety, and worldly desires, live soberly, and justly, and piously, in this world,]

13 abiding the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 that gave himself for us, to again-buy us from all wickedness [that he should again-buy us from all wickedness], and make clean to himself a people acceptable, and follower of good works.

15 Speak thou these things, and admonish thou, and reprove thou with all commandment; no man despise thee. [Speak thou these things, and admonish, and argue, or reprove, with all commandment; no man despise thee.]

Admonish them to be subjects to princes [Admonish them to be subject to princes], and to powers; to obey to that that is said, and to be ready to all good work [to all good works];

to blaspheme no man, to be not full of chiding, but temperate [to be not litigious, or full of chiding, but temperate, or patient], showing all mildness to all men.

For we were sometime unwise, unbelieveful, erring, and serving to desires, and to diverse lusts [and diverse lusts], doing in malice and envy, worthy to be hated, hating each other [hateful, hating together].

But when the benignity and the manhood of our Saviour God appeared,[c]

not of works of rightwiseness that we did, but by his mercy [but after his mercy] he made us safe, by [the] washing of again-begetting, and again-newing of the Holy Ghost,

whom he shedded [out] into us plenteously by Jesus Christ, our Saviour,

that we justified by his grace, be heirs by hope [be heirs after hope] of everlasting life.

A true word is [this], and of these things I will that thou confirm others, that they that believe in God, be busy to be above others in good works [care, or do busyness, to be before in good works]. These things be good, and profitable to men.

And eschew thou foolish questions, and genealogies, and strivings [and strives], and fightings of the law; for those be unprofitable and vain.

10 Eschew thou a man heretic, after one and the second correction; [Shun thou a man heretic, after one and the second correction, or reproving;]

11 witting that he that is such a manner man is subverted, and trespasseth, and is condemned by his own doom.

12 When I [shall] send to thee Artemas, or Tychicus, hie thou to come to me to Nicopolis [hie, or haste, thou to come to me to Nicopolis]; for I have purposed to dwell in winter there.

13 Busily before send Zenas [Busily send before Zenas], a wise man of law, and Apollos, that nothing fail to them.

14 They that be of ours, learn to be governors in good works, to necessary uses, that they be not without fruit. [Forsooth and our men learn to be before in good works, to necessary uses, that they be not unfruitous.]

15 All men that be with me greet thee well. Greet thou well them, that love us in [the] faith. The grace of God be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:9 embracing that true word, that is after doctrine; that he be mighty to admonish in wholesome doctrine, or teaching, and to reprove them that against-say.
  2. Titus 2:7 In all things give thyself example of good works, in teaching, in holiness of living, in firmness of virtues.
  3. Titus 3:4 Forsooth when the benignity and humanity, or manhood/or large mercy, of God our Saviour appeared,

Paul, a servant of God(A) and an apostle(B) of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth(C) that leads to godliness(D) in the hope of eternal life,(E) which God, who does not lie,(F) promised before the beginning of time,(G) and which now at his appointed season(H) he has brought to light(I) through the preaching entrusted to me(J) by the command of God(K) our Savior,(L)

To Titus,(M) my true son(N) in our common faith:

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

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good(P)

The reason I left you in Crete(Q) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders(R) in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless,(S) 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(T) manages God’s household,(U) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(V) Rather, he must be hospitable,(W) one who loves what is good,(X) who is self-controlled,(Y) upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly(Z) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine(AA) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(AB) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(AC) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(AD) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(AE) has said it: “Cretans(AF) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(AG) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(AH) 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths(AI) or to the merely human commands(AJ) of those who reject the truth.(AK) 15 To the pure, all things are pure,(AL) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.(AM) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.(AN) 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(AO) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(AP)

Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.(AQ) Teach the older men(AR) to be temperate,(AS) worthy of respect, self-controlled,(AT) and sound in faith,(AU) in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers(AV) or addicted to much wine,(AW) but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women(AX) to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled(AY) and pure, to be busy at home,(AZ) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,(BA) so that no one will malign the word of God.(BB)

Similarly, encourage the young men(BC) to be self-controlled.(BD) In everything set them an example(BE) by doing what is good.(BF) In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.(BG)

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything,(BH) to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior(BI) attractive.(BJ)

11 For the grace(BK) of God has appeared(BL) that offers salvation to all people.(BM) 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,(BN) and to live self-controlled,(BO) upright and godly lives(BP) in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing(BQ) of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,(BR) 14 who gave himself for us(BS) to redeem us from all wickedness(BT) and to purify(BU) for himself a people that are his very own,(BV) eager to do what is good.(BW)

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Saved in Order to Do Good

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,(BX) to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,(BY) to slander no one,(BZ) to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

At one time(CA) we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness(CB) and love of God our Savior(CC) appeared,(CD) he saved us,(CE) not because of righteous things we had done,(CF) but because of his mercy.(CG) He saved us through the washing(CH) of rebirth and renewal(CI) by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us(CJ) generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace,(CK) we might become heirs(CL) having the hope(CM) of eternal life.(CN) This is a trustworthy saying.(CO) And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.(CP) These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

But avoid(CQ) foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels(CR) about the law,(CS) because these are unprofitable and useless.(CT) 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.(CU) 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Final Remarks

12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus(CV) to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.(CW) 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos(CX) on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,(CY) in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.(CZ)

Grace be with you all.(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:5 Or ordain
  2. Titus 1:6 Or children are trustworthy
  3. Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides