Titus
Greetings and Grace
1Paul, aa slave of God and an bapostle of Jesus Christ, 1for the faith of God’s celect and dthe full knowledge of the truth which is eaccording to godliness, 2in athe hope of eternal life, which the God bwho cannot lie cpromised 1,dfrom all eternity, 3but aat the proper time manifested His word in bpreaching, cwith which I was entrusted daccording to the commandment of eGod our Savior,
4To aTitus, bmy genuine child according to our ccommon faith: dGrace and peace from God the Father and eChrist Jesus our Savior.
Qualifications of Elders
5For this reason I left you in aCrete, that you would set in order what remains and bappoint celders in every city as I directed you, 6namely, aif any man is beyond reproach, the bhusband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of cdissipation, or drebellious. 7For the 1,aoverseer must be beyond reproach as bGod’s steward, not cself-willed, not quick-tempered, not daddicted to wine, not pugnacious, enot fond of dishonest gain, 8but ahospitable, bloving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9aholding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in bsound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.
10aFor there are many brebellious men, cempty talkers and deceivers, especially dthose of the circumcision, 11who must be silenced because they are upsetting awhole families, teaching bthings they should not teach cfor the sake of dishonest gain. 12One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “aCretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13This testimony is true. For this reason areprove them bseverely so that they may be csound in the faith, 14not paying attention to Jewish amyths and bcommandments of men who cturn away from the truth. 15aTo the pure, all things are pure, but bto those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their cmind and their conscience are defiled. 16aThey profess to know God, but by their works they bdeny Him, being cdetestable and ddisobedient and eunfit ffor any good work.
Instructions for the Older and Younger
2But as for you, speak the things which are proper for asound doctrine. 2aOlder men are to be btemperate, dignified, sensible, csound din faith, in love, in 1perseverance.
3Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, anot malicious gossips nor benslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility: to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sensible, pure, aworkers at home, kind, being bsubject to their own husbands, cso that the word of God will not be slandered.
6Likewise urge athe younger men to be 1sensible; 7in all things show yourself to be aa model of good works, with 1purity in doctrine, dignified, 8sound in word which is irreproachable, so athat the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
9Urge aslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not contradicting, 10not pilfering, but demonstrating all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of aGod our Savior in everything.
11For the grace of God has aappeared, 1,bbringing salvation to all men, 121instructing us that, denying ungodliness and aworldly desires, we should blive sensibly, righteously, and godly cin the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the aappearing of the glory of 1,bour great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who agave Himself for us bthat He might redeem us from all lawlessness, and cpurify for Himself a dpeople for His own possession, ezealous for good works.
Be Ready for Every Good Work
3aRemind them bto be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be cready for every good work, 2to slander no one, ato be peaceable, bconsiderate, cdemonstrating all gentleness to all men. 3aFor we ourselves also once were foolish, bdisobedient, cdeceived, denslaved to evarious lusts and pleasures, spending our life in fmalice and genvy, despicable, hating one another. 4But when the akindness and affection of bGod our Savior cappeared, 5aHe saved us, bnot by works which we did in righteousness, but caccording to His mercy, through the dwashing of regeneration and erenewing by the Holy Spirit, 6awhom He poured out upon us brichly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that having been justified by His grace, we would become aheirs 1according to the hope of eternal life. 8aThis is a trustworthy saying. And concerning these things I bwant you to speak confidently, so that those who have cbelieved God will be intent to dlead in good works. These things are good and profitable for men. 9But aavoid bfoolish controversies and cgenealogies and strife and dconflicts about the Law, for they are eunprofitable and worthless. 10aReject a bfactious man cafter a first and second warning, 11knowing that such a man is aperverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
Personal Instructions and Greetings
12When I send Artemas or aTychicus to you, bbe diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to cspend the winter there. 13Diligently help send Zenas the alawyer and bApollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 14aAnd our people must also learn to blead in good 1works to meet cpressing needs, so that they will not be dunfruitful.