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Greeting

¹ Paul,^(C1) a servant of God^(C2) and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for^(F1) the faith of God’s elect^(C3) and their knowledge of the truth^(C4) that leads^(F2) to godliness,^{(C5) 2} in the hope of eternal life^(C1) that God, who cannot lie,^(C2) promised before time began.^{(C3) 3} In his own time he has revealed^(C1) his word^(C2) in the preaching with which I was entrusted^(C3) by the command^(C4) of God our Savior:^(C5)

⁴ To Titus,^(C1) my true son^(C2) in our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.^(C3)

Titus’s Ministry in Crete

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete^(C1) was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders^(C2) in every town. ⁶ An elder^(C1) must be blameless:^(C2) the husband of one wife, with faithful^(F1) children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. ⁷ As an overseer^(C1) of God’s household, he must be blameless: not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding to the faithful message as taught,^(C1) so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching^(C2) and to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. ¹¹ It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. ¹² One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true.^(C1) For this reason, rebuke them sharply,^(C2) so that they may be sound in the faith ¹⁴ and may not pay attention to Jewish myths^(C1) and the commands of people who reject the truth.^(C2)

¹⁵ To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience^(C1) are defiled. ¹⁶ They claim to know God,^(C1) but they deny him by their works.^(C2) They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.^(C3)