1 From Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and acknowledgment of the truth that is in accordance with godliness,
2 in hope of age-abiding life (which God who does not lie promised before the durations of the ages,
3 and made his word manifest in his own seasons by the preaching of that with which I have been entrusted according to the commandment of God our saviour),
4 to Titus, a genuine child in a shared faith, grace, mercy and peace from God the father and Lord Jesus Christ our saviour.
5 I left you in Crete for this reason: so that you might put the remaining things in order, and appoint elders in various cities, as I instructed you,
6 to see if anyone is unimpeachable, a husband of one wife, having believing children who are not culpable of irresponsibility or are unruly,
7 because an overseer must be unimpeachable, as a steward of God's, not presumptuous, not irascible, not over-fond of wine, not violent, not shamefully greedy of gain,
8 but hospitable, loving good, temperate, just, devout, self-controlled,
9 holding fast to the faithful doctrinal word in order that he may be competent to both give encouragement in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.
10 For there are many also who are unruly, idle talkers and deluders, especially those of the circumcision,
11 who need to be silenced, the kind who overturn whole households, teaching things which they should not for the sake of shameful gain.
12 A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said, “The Cretans always have been liars, wicked beasts, idle gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. For this reason censure them sharply, in order that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not heeding Judaic fables, or commandments of men who have turned away from the truth.
15 Everything is clean to the clean, but to the defiled and unbelievers nothing is clean, and even both their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but by their works they deny it, being abominable and disobedient, and unqualified for any good work.
1 But you say what befits sound doctrine,
2 that elders be sober, solemn, temperate, sound in the faith, in love, in patience.
3 Elder women should likewise be reverent in comportment, not slanderous, not addicted to much wine, good teachers,
4 so that they impart to young women a temperate way to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be temperate, pure, keepers of the home, good, subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God is not ill-spoken of.
6 Likewise exhort younger men to be temperate,
7 in all respects showing yourself a model of good works, showing integrity in teaching, solemnity, incorruptibility
8 sound speech, being incontrovertible in order that whoever is opposed might be ashamed, having nothing base to say about us.
9 Exhort servants to be subject to their own masters, to be pleasing in every way, not answering back,
10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they may adorn the teaching of God our saviour in all things.
11 For the grace of God has come into view, which brings salvation to all men,
12 teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly desires we should live temperately and righteously and in a godly way in this present age,
13 awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour, Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself on behalf of us in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness, and might purify for himself a special people, zealous of good works.
15 Speak these things, and exhort and censure with all authority. Let no-one be presumptuous about you.
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey them, to be ready for every good work,
2 not to slander anyone, to be peaceable, equitable, showing all meekness to all men.
3 For we too were once without sense, disbelieving, erring, serving various lusts and pleasures, spending life in wickedness and envy, detestable, hating one another.
4 But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our saviour came into view,
5 not by works of righteousness which we did, but it is by his mercy that he saved us, through regenerative washing and renewing by holy spirit,
6 which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our saviour,
7 in order that we, having been justified by his grace, should become heirs according to the hope of age-abiding life.
8 The saying is faithful, and I want you to insist on these things: that those who have believed in God make a point of giving priority to good works. These are the good and beneficial things to men.
9 And avoid fatuous enquiries and genealogies and quarrels and legal battles, for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 After the first and second warning, repudiate a heretical man,
11 knowing that such a one has been subverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
12 When I send Artemas or Tychichus to you, make haste to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way expeditiously, so that nothing may be lacking to them.
14 And let our people also learn to give priority to good works to alleviate pressing needs, so that they are not unfruitful.
15 All those with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be to you all. Amen.