Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Set Things Straight And Appoint Qualified Elders In Each City On Crete

⁵ For this reason I left you behind in Crete: in order that you might set-straight^[a] the things lacking^[b], and appoint^[c] elders in each city as I directed you— ⁶ if one is blameless^[d], a man of one woman^[e], having believing children who are not under an accusation^[f] of wild-living or rebellious ones. ⁷ For the overseer must be blameless as God’s steward^[g], not self-willed^[h], not quick-tempered, not a drunken one, not a brawler, not fond-of-shameful^[i]-gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover-of-good, sound-minded^[j], just^[k], holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding-on-to^[l] the faithful word in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to exhort with^[m] healthy teaching and refute^[n] the ones contradicting^[o].

For There Are Many Deceivers Teaching Falsehood For Personal Gain

¹⁰ For there are indeed many rebellious ones, worthless-talkers^[p], and deceivers— especially the ones from the circumcision— ¹¹ whom it-is-necessary to silence, who are overturning whole households, teaching things which they ought not to teach for the sake of shameful gain. ¹² One of them, their own prophet^[q], said “Cretans are always liars^[r], evil beasts, lazy gluttons”. ¹³ This testimony is true. For which reason, be rebuking them severely in order that they may be healthy in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying-attention-to Jewish myths and commandments of people turning-away-from the truth. ¹⁵ All things are clean^[s] to the clean. But to the ones having been defiled^[t] and who are unbelieving, nothing is clean, but both their mind and conscience have been defiled. ¹⁶ They are confessing to know God, but by their works they are denying Him, being detestable and disobedient and disapproved^[u] for every good work.