Beginning

Greetings

1 Paul, a slave of God and an emissary of Messiah Yeshua, for the faith of God’s chosen and the knowledge of truth that is in keeping with godliness, ² based on the hope of eternal life. God—who cannot lie^[a]—promised this before the beginning of time. ³ But in His own time He made His message known, through a proclamation with which I was entrusted, by the command of God our Savior.

⁴ To Titus, a true child of our common faith:

Grace and shalom from God the Father and Messiah Yeshua, our Savior!

Setting the Community in Order

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete was so that you would set in order the things that remain and appoint elders in every city as I directed you— ⁶ if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children of faith with no charge of wild living or rebellion. ⁷ For the overseer must be blameless as God’s administrator—not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁸ Rather he must be hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, upright, devout, disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message in keeping with the teaching, so he can both encourage by instruction that is sound and convict those who speak against it.

¹⁰ For there are many who are rebellious, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those from the circumcision. ¹¹ They must be silenced—those who upset entire households by teaching what they should not, for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹² One of them, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so they might be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Judaic myths and commands of men 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. Both their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They claim to know God but their deeds deny Him. They are despicable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

Advice for Behavior in Community

2 But as for you, speak things that are fitting for sound instruction. ² Older men are to be clear-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in patience. ³ Likewise, older women are to be sanctified in demeanor—not backbiting or enslaved to much wine. Let them be teachers of what is good, ⁴ so that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, managing their household, kind, submitted to their own husbands, so that God’s word may not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge the younger men to be self-controlled, ⁷ in all things showing yourself to be an example of good deeds—integrity in instruction, dignity, ⁸ sound speech beyond criticism—so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge slaves to submit themselves to their own masters in all things, well-pleasing and not back-talking, ¹⁰ not stealing but showing all good faithfulness, so that they may do credit to the teaching about God our Savior in everything.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² training us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live in a manner that is self-controlled and righteous and godly in the present age. ¹³ We wait for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua. ¹⁴ He gave Himself for us so that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and so that He might purify for Himself a chosen people, zealous for good deeds. ^{[b] 15} So communicate these things, and encourage and correct with complete authority. Let no one look down on you.

Be Ready for Good Deeds

3 Remind the people to be submitted to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, ² to slander no one, without fighting, gentle, showing every courtesy to all people. ³ For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deluded, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

⁸ Trustworthy is the saying, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their trust in God may be careful to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people.

⁹ But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about Torah, for they are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰ Dismiss a quarrelsome person after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is twisted and is sinning—he is self-condemned.

Final Words

¹² When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, hurry to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to winter there. ¹³ Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with great care, so that nothing is lacking for them. ¹⁴ And let our people learn to devote themselves to doing mitzvot to meet urgent needs, so they will not be unfruitful.

¹⁵ All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Greetings to a House Group

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker.

² To Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the community that meets in your house:

³ Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Messiah Yeshua!

Thanks for Love and Comfort

⁴ I thank my God always when mentioning you in my prayers, ⁵ hearing of your love and the trust you have toward the Lord Yeshua and all the kedoshim. ⁶ May the fellowship of your faith become effective, with the recognition of all the good that is ours in Messiah. ⁷ For I’ve received much joy and comfort in your love, brother, because the hearts of the kedoshim have been refreshed through you.

Request for Philemon’s Runaway

⁸ Therefore, though I have plenty of boldness in Messiah to order you to do what’s right, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I appeal to you instead. I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner belonging to Messiah Yeshua. ¹⁰ I beg you for my child Onesimus—for whom I became a spiritual father while in chains. ¹¹ He once was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and me. ¹² I sent him back to you—he is my very heart. ¹³ I really wanted to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he might serve me while I am in chains for the Good News. ¹⁴ But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness wouldn’t be by force but by free will.

¹⁵ For perhaps he was separated from you for a while in order that you might have him back forever, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave—as a beloved brother, especially to me but even more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷ So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ But if he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay. (Not to mention that you owe me your very self.) ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Messiah.

Added Request and Farewell

²¹ Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say. ²² At the same time also, prepare a guest room for me—for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you. ²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Messiah Yeshua, greets you. ²⁴ So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. ²⁵ May the grace of our Lord Messiah Yeshua be with your spirit. Amen.