Beginning

Greetings and Grace

1 Paul, ^(A)a slave of God and an ^(B)apostle of Jesus Christ, ^[a]for the faith of God’s ^(C)elect and ^(D)the full knowledge of the truth which is ^(E)according to godliness, ² in ^(F)the hope of eternal life, which the God ^(G)who cannot lie ^(H)promised ^[b](I)from all eternity, ³ but ^(J)at the proper time manifested His word in ^(K)preaching, ^(L)with which I was entrusted ^(M)according to the commandment of ^(N)God our Savior,

⁴ To ^(O)Titus, ^(P)my genuine child according to our ^(Q)common faith: ^(R)Grace and peace from God the Father and ^(S)Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications of Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in ^(T)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and ^(U)appoint ^(V)elders in every city as I directed you, ⁶ namely, ^(W)if any man is beyond reproach, the ^(X)husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of ^(Y)dissipation, or ^(Z)rebellious. ⁷ For the ^[c](AA)overseer must be beyond reproach as ^(AB)God’s steward, not ^(AC)self-willed, not quick-tempered, not ^(AD)addicted to wine, not pugnacious, ^(AE)not fond of dishonest gain, ⁸ but ^(AF)hospitable, ^(AG)loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, ^9 (AH)holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in ^(AI)sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.

^10 (AJ)For there are many ^(AK)rebellious men, ^(AL)empty talkers and deceivers, especially ^(AM)those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting ^(AN)whole families, teaching ^(AO)things they should not teach ^(AP)for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹² One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “^(AQ)Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. For this reason ^(AR)reprove them ^(AS)severely so that they may be ^(AT)sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish ^(AU)myths and ^(AV)commandments of men who ^(AW)turn away from the truth. ^15 (AX)To the pure, all things are pure, but ^(AY)to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their ^(AZ)mind and their conscience are defiled. ^16 (BA)They profess to know God, but by their works they ^(BB)deny Him, being ^(BC)detestable and ^(BD)disobedient and ^(BE)unfit ^(BF)for any good work.

Instructions for the Older and Younger

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for ^(BG)sound doctrine. ^2 (BH)Older men are to be ^(BI)temperate, dignified, sensible, ^(BJ)sound ^(BK)in faith, in love, in ^[d]perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(BL)not malicious gossips nor ^(BM)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility: to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(BN)workers at home, kind, being ^(BO)subject to their own husbands, ^(BP)so that the word of God will not be slandered.

⁶ Likewise urge ^(BQ)the younger men to be ^[e]sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be ^(BR)a model of good works, with ^[f]purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in word which is irreproachable, so ^(BS)that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge ^(BT)slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not contradicting, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but demonstrating all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ^(BU)God our Savior in everything.

¹¹ For the grace of God has ^(BV)appeared, ^[g](BW)bringing salvation to all men, ^12 [h]instructing us that, denying ungodliness and ^(BX)worldly desires, we should ^(BY)live sensibly, righteously, and godly ^(BZ)in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the ^(CA)appearing of the glory of ^[i](CB)our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who ^(CC)gave Himself for us ^(CD)that He might redeem us from all lawlessness, and ^(CE)purify for Himself a ^(CF)people for His own possession, ^(CG)zealous for good works.

¹⁵ These things speak and ^(CH)exhort and ^(CI)reprove with all ^[j]authority. ^(CJ)Let no one disregard you.

Be Ready for Every Good Work

3 ^(CK)Remind them ^(CL)to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ^(CM)ready for every good work, ² to slander no one, ^(CN)to be peaceable, ^(CO)considerate, ^(CP)demonstrating all gentleness to all men. ^3 (CQ)For we ourselves also once were foolish, ^(CR)disobedient, ^(CS)deceived, ^(CT)enslaved to ^(CU)various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in ^(CV)malice and ^(CW)envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴ But when the ^(CX)kindness and affection of ^(CY)God our Savior ^(CZ)appeared, ^5 (DA)He saved us, ^(DB)not by works which we did in righteousness, but ^(DC)according to His mercy, through the ^(DD)washing of regeneration and ^(DE)renewing by the Holy Spirit, ^6 (DF)whom He poured out upon us ^(DG)richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that having been justified by His grace, we would become ^(DH)heirs ^[k]according to the hope of eternal life. ^8 (DI)This is a trustworthy saying. And concerning these things I ^(DJ)want you to speak confidently, so that those who have ^(DK)believed God will be intent to ^(DL)lead in good works. These things are good and profitable for men. ⁹ But ^(DM)avoid ^(DN)foolish controversies and ^(DO)genealogies and strife and ^(DP)conflicts about the Law, for they are ^(DQ)unprofitable and worthless. ^10 (DR)Reject a ^(DS)factious man ^(DT)after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a man is ^(DU)perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

Personal Instructions and Greetings

¹² When I send Artemas or ^(DV)Tychicus to you, ^(DW)be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to ^(DX)spend the winter there. ¹³ Diligently help send Zenas the ^(DY)lawyer and ^(DZ)Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. ^14 (EA)And our people must also learn to ^(EB)lead in good ^[l]works to meet ^(EC)pressing needs, so that they will not be ^(ED)unfruitful.

^15 (EE)All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us ^(EF)in the faith.

^(EG)Grace be with you all.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

^1 (A)Paul, ^(B)a prisoner of ^(C)Christ Jesus, and ^(D)Timothy ^[a]our brother,

To Philemon our beloved brother and ^(E)fellow worker, ² and to Apphia ^[b](F)our sister, and to ^(G)Archippus our ^(H)fellow soldier, and to ^(I)the church in your house: ^3 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^4 (K)I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers, ⁵ because I ^(L)hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the ^[c]saints; ⁶ and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective ^[d]through the ^(M)full knowledge of every good thing which is in you ^[e]for the sake of Christ. ⁷ For I have come to have much ^(N)joy and comfort in your love, because the ^[f]hearts of the ^[g]saints have been ^(O)refreshed through you, brother.

⁸ Therefore, ^(P)though I have much boldness in Christ to command you to do what is ^(Q)proper, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather ^(R)plead with you—since I am such a person as Paul, ^[h]the ^(S)aged, and now also ^(T)a prisoner of ^(U)Christ Jesus—

Plea for Onesimus

¹⁰ I ^(V)plead with you for my ^(W)child ^[i](X)Onesimus, of whom I became a ^[j]father in my chains, ¹¹ who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. ¹² I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart, ¹³ whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my ^(Y)chains for the gospel, ¹⁴ but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would ^(Z)not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntary. ¹⁵ For perhaps ^(AA)he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, ^16 (AB)no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, ^(AC)a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both ^(AD)in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷ If then you regard me a ^(AE)partner, accept him as you would accept me. ¹⁸ But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ^19 (AF)I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (^(AG)not to ^[k]mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord. ^(AH)Refresh my heart in Christ!

^21 (AI)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

²² And at the same time also prepare me a ^(AJ)lodging, for ^(AK)I hope that through ^(AL)your prayers ^(AM)I will be graciously given to you.

^23 (AN)Epaphras, my ^(AO)fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴ as do ^(AP)Mark, ^(AQ)Aristarchus, ^(AR)Demas, ^(AS)Luke, my ^(AT)fellow workers.

^25 (AU)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be ^(AV)with your spirit.^[l]