Titus 1

Greeting

1 From Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I’m sent to bring about the faith of God’s chosen people and a knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness.
2 Their faith and this knowledge are based on the hope of eternal life that God, who doesn’t lie, promised before time began.

3 God revealed his message at the appropriate time through preaching, and I was trusted with preaching this message by the command of God our savior.

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

Appointing elders

5 The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you.6 Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse,t and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness.7 This is because supervisorst should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy.8 Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled.

9 They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it.

Correcting rebellious people

10 In fact, there are many who are rebellious people, loudmouths, and deceivers, especially some of those who are Jewish believers.t11 They must be silenced because they upset entire households. They teach what they shouldn’t to make money dishonestly.12 Someone who is one of their own prophets said, "People from Crete are always liars, wild animals, and lazy gluttons."13 This statement is true. Because of this, correct them firmly, so that they can be healthy in their faith.14 They shouldn’t pay attention to Jewish myths and commands from people who reject the truth.15 Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and without faith. Instead, their mind and conscience are corrupted.

16 They claim to know God, but they deny God by the things that they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.

Titus 1

Salutation

1 From Paul,t a slavets of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faitht of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began.t3 But now in his own timet he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.

4 To Titus, my genuine son in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!

Titus’ Task on Crete

5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.6 An elder must be blameless,t the husband of one wife,t with faithful childrent who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion.7 For the overseers must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work,t not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled.

9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught,t so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teachingt and correct those who speak against it.
10 For there are manys rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections,t11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”s13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith14 and not pay attention to Jewish mythss and commands of people who reject the truth.15 All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

16 They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.