1 From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I encourage God's own people to have more faith and to understand the truth about religion. ² Then they will have the hope of eternal life God promised long ago. And God never tells a lie! ³ So, at the proper time, God our Savior gave this message and told me to announce what he had said.

^4 (A) Titus, because of our faith, you are like a son to me. I pray that God our Father and Christ Jesus our Savior will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

What Titus Was To Do in Crete

⁵ I left you in Crete to do what had been left undone and to appoint leaders^[a] for the churches in each town. As I told you, ^6 (B) they must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage.^[b] Their children must be followers of the Lord and not have a reputation for being wild and disobedient.

⁷ Church officials^[c] are in charge of God's work, and so they must also have a good reputation. They must not be bossy, quick-tempered, heavy drinkers, bullies, or dishonest in business. ⁸ Instead, they must be friendly to strangers and enjoy doing good things. They must also be sensible, fair, pure, and self-controlled. ⁹ They must stick to the true message they were taught, so their good teaching can help others and correct everyone who opposes it.

¹⁰ There are many who don't respect authority, and they fool others by talking nonsense. This is especially true of some Jewish followers. ¹¹ But you must make them be quiet. They are after money, and they upset whole families by teaching what they should not. ¹² It is like one of their own prophets once said,

¹³ This surely is a true saying. And you should be hard on such people, so you can help them grow stronger in their faith. ¹⁴ Don't pay any attention to any of those senseless Jewish stories and human commands. These are made up by people who won't obey the truth.

¹⁵ Everything is pure for someone whose heart is pure. But nothing is pure for an unbeliever with a dirty mind. That person's mind and conscience are destroyed. ¹⁶ Such people claim to know God, but their actions prove they really don't. They are disgusting. They won't obey God, and they are too worthless to do anything good.

Instructions for Different Groups of People

2 Titus, you must teach only what is correct. ² Tell the older men to have self-control and to be serious and sensible. Their faith, love, and patience must never fail.

³ Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should. They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine. They must teach what is proper, ⁴ so the younger women will be loving wives and mothers. ⁵ Each of the younger women must be sensible and kind, as well as a good homemaker, who puts her own husband first. Then no one can say insulting things about God's message.

⁶ Tell the young men to have self-control in everything.

⁷ Always set a good example for others. Be sincere and serious when you teach. ⁸ Use clean language that no one can criticize. Do this, and your enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against you.

⁹ Tell slaves always to please their owners by obeying them in everything. Slaves must not talk back to their owners ¹⁰ or steal from them. They must be completely honest and trustworthy. Then everyone will show great respect for what is taught about God our Savior.

God's Kindness and the New Life

¹¹ God has shown us undeserved grace by coming to save all people. ¹² He taught us to give up our wicked ways and our worldly desires and to live decent and honest lives in this world. ¹³ We are filled with hope, as we wait for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.^{[d] 14 (C)} He gave himself to rescue us from everything evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right.

¹⁵ Teach these things, as you use your full authority to encourage and correct people. Make sure you earn everyone's respect.

Doing Helpful Things

3 Remind your people to obey the rulers and authorities and not to be rebellious. They must always be ready to do something helpful ² and not say cruel things or argue. They should be gentle and kind to everyone. ³ We used to be stupid, disobedient, and foolish, as well as slaves of all sorts of desires and pleasures. We were evil and jealous. Everyone hated us, and we hated everyone.

¹ From Paul, who is in jail for serving Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is like a brother because of our faith.

Philemon, you work with us and are very dear to us. This letter is to you ^2 (A) and to the church that meets in your home. It is also to our dear friend Apphia and to Archippus, who serves the Lord as we do.

³ I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Philemon's Love and Faith

⁴ Philemon, each time I mention you in my prayers, I thank God. ⁵ I hear about your faith in our Lord Jesus and about your love for all God's people. ⁶ As you share your faith with others, I pray they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us. ⁷ My friend, your love has made me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God's people.

Paul Speaks to Philemon about Onesimus

⁸ Christ gives me the courage to tell you what to do. ⁹ But I would rather ask you to do it simply because of love. Yes, as someone^[a] in jail for Christ, ^10 (B) I beg you to help Onesimus!^[b] He is like a son to me because I led him to Christ here in jail. ¹¹ Before this, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

¹² Sending Onesimus back to you makes me very sad. ¹³ I would like to keep him here with me, where he could take your place in helping me while I am here in prison for preaching the good news. ¹⁴ But I won't do anything unless you agree to it first. I want your act of kindness to come from your heart, and not be something you feel forced to do.

¹⁵ Perhaps Onesimus was taken from you for a little while so you could have him back for good, ¹⁶ but not as a slave. Onesimus is much more than a slave. To me he is a dear friend, but to you he is even more, both as a person and as a follower of the Lord.

¹⁷ If you consider me a friend because of Christ, then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has cheated you or owes you anything, charge it to my account. ¹⁹ With my own hand I write: I, PAUL, WILL PAY YOU BACK. But don't forget you owe me your life. ²⁰ My dear friend and follower of Christ our Lord, please cheer me up by doing this for me.

²¹ I am sure you will do all I have asked, and even more. ²² Please get a room ready for me. I hope your prayers will be answered, and I can visit you.

^23 (C) Epaphras is also here in jail for being a follower of Christ Jesus. He sends his greetings, ^24 (D) and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who work together with me.

²⁵ I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you!