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Salutation

¹ Paul, ^(C1)a bond-servant of God and an ^(C2)apostle of Jesus Christ, ^(F1)for the faith of those ^(C3)chosen of God and ^(C4)the knowledge of the truth which is ^(C5)according to godliness,² in ^(C1)the hope of eternal life, which God, ^(C2)who cannot lie, ^(C3)promised ^(F1)(C4)long ages ago,³ but ^(C1)at the proper time revealed His word in ^(C2)the proclamation ^(C3)with which I was entrusted ^(C4)according to the commandment of ^(C5)God our Savior;

⁴ To ^(C1)Titus, ^(C2)my true ^(F1)son ^(F2)in a ^(C3)common faith: ^(C4)Grace and peace from God the Father and ^(C5)Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications of Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in ^(C1)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and ^(C2)appoint ^(C3)elders in every city as I directed you,⁶ namely, ^(C1)if any man is beyond reproach, the ^(C2)husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of ^(C3)indecent behavior or ^(C4)rebellion.⁷ For the ^(F1)(C1)overseer must be beyond reproach as ^(C2)God's steward, not ^(C3)self-willed, not quick-tempered, not ^(C4)overindulging in wine, not ^(F2)a bully, ^(C5)not greedy for money,⁸ but ^(C1)hospitable, ^(C2)loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined,^9 (C1)holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to ^(F1)exhort in ^(C2)sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

^10 (C1)For there are many ^(C2)rebellious people, ^(C3)empty talkers and deceivers, especially ^(C4)those of the circumcision,¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting ^(C1)whole families, teaching ^(C2)things they should not teach ^(C3)for the sake of ^(F1)dishonest gain.¹² One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "^(C1)Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."¹³ This testimony is true. For this reason ^(C1)reprimand them ^(C2)severely so that they may be ^(C3)sound in the faith,¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish ^(C1)myths and ^(C2)commandments of men who ^(C3)turn away from the truth.^15 (C1)To the pure, all things are pure; but ^(C2)to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their ^(C3)mind and their conscience are defiled.^16 (C1)They profess to know God, but by their deeds they ^(C2)deny Him, being ^(C3)detestable and ^(C4)disobedient and ^(C5)worthless ^(C6)for any good deed.