Add parallel Print Page Options

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the choice ones of God, and an acknowledging of truth that [is] according to piety,

upon hope of life age-during, which God, who doth not lie, did promise before times of ages,

(and He manifested in proper times His word,) in preaching, which I was entrusted with, according to a charge of God our Saviour,

to Titus -- true child according to a common faith: Grace, kindness, peace, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour!

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that the things lacking thou mayest arrange, and mayest set down in every city elders, as I did appoint to thee;

if any one is blameless, of one wife a husband, having children stedfast, not under accusation of riotous living or insubordinate --

for it behoveth the overseer to be blameless, as God's steward, not self-pleased, nor irascible, not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre;

but a lover of strangers, a lover of good men, sober-minded, righteous, kind, self-controlled,

holding -- according to the teaching -- to the stedfast word, that he may be able also to exhort in the sound teaching, and the gainsayers to convict;

10 for there are many both insubordinate, vain-talkers, and mind-deceivers -- especially they of the circumcision --

11 whose mouth it behoveth to stop, who whole households do overturn, teaching what things it behoveth not, for filthy lucre's sake.

12 A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said -- `Cretans! always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies!'

13 this testimony is true; for which cause convict them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commands of men, turning themselves away from the truth;

15 all things, indeed, [are] pure to the pure, and to the defiled and unstedfast [is] nothing pure, but of them defiled [are] even the mind and the conscience;

16 God they profess to know, and in the works they deny [Him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work disapproved.

And thou -- be speaking what doth become the sound teaching;

aged men to be temperate, grave, sober, sound in the faith, in the love, in the endurance;

aged women, in like manner, in deportment as doth become sacred persons, not false accusers, to much wine not enslaved, of good things teachers,

that they may make the young women sober-minded, to be lovers of [their] husbands, lovers of [their] children,

sober, pure, keepers of [their own] houses, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of.

The younger men, in like manner, be exhorting to be sober-minded;

concerning all things thyself showing a pattern of good works; in the teaching uncorruptedness, gravity, incorruptibility,

discourse sound, irreprehensible, that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say concerning you.

Servants -- to their own masters [are] to be subject, in all things to be well-pleasing, not gainsaying,

10 not purloining, but showing all good stedfastness, that the teaching of God our Saviour they may adorn in all things.

11 For the saving grace of God was manifested to all men,

12 teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age,

13 waiting for the blessed hope and manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ,

14 who did give himself for us, that he might ransom us from all lawlessness, and might purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works;

15 these things be speaking, and exhorting, and convicting, with all charge; let no one despise thee!

Remind them to be subject to principalities and authorities, to obey rule, unto every good work to be ready,

of no one to speak evil, not to be quarrelsome -- gentle, showing all meekness to all men,

for we were once -- also we -- thoughtless, disobedient, led astray, serving desires and pleasures manifold, in malice and envy living, odious -- hating one another;

and when the kindness and the love to men of God our Saviour did appear

(not by works that [are] in righteousness that we did but according to His kindness,) He did save us, through a bathing of regeneration, and a renewing of the Holy Spirit,

which He poured upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

that having been declared righteous by His grace, heirs we may become according to the hope of life age-during.

Stedfast [is] the word; and concerning these things I counsel thee to affirm fully, that they may be thoughtful, to be leading in good works -- who have believed God; these are the good and profitable things to men,

and foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about law, stand away from -- for they are unprofitable and vain.

10 A sectarian man, after a first and second admonition be rejecting,

11 having known that he hath been subverted who [is] such, and doth sin, being self-condemned.

12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis, for there to winter I have determined.

13 Zenas the lawyer and Apollos bring diligently on their way, that nothing to them may be lacking,

14 and let them learn -- ours also -- to be leading in good works to the necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.

15 Salute thee do all those with me; salute those loving us in faith; the grace [is] with you all!

Paul, a servant of God(A) and an apostle(B) of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth(C) that leads to godliness(D) in the hope of eternal life,(E) which God, who does not lie,(F) promised before the beginning of time,(G) and which now at his appointed season(H) he has brought to light(I) through the preaching entrusted to me(J) by the command of God(K) our Savior,(L)

To Titus,(M) my true son(N) in our common faith:

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

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good(P)

The reason I left you in Crete(Q) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders(R) in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless,(S) faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer(T) manages God’s household,(U) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(V) Rather, he must be hospitable,(W) one who loves what is good,(X) who is self-controlled,(Y) upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly(Z) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine(AA) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(AB) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(AC) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(AD) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(AE) has said it: “Cretans(AF) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(AG) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(AH) 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths(AI) or to the merely human commands(AJ) of those who reject the truth.(AK) 15 To the pure, all things are pure,(AL) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.(AM) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.(AN) 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(AO) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(AP)

Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.(AQ) Teach the older men(AR) to be temperate,(AS) worthy of respect, self-controlled,(AT) and sound in faith,(AU) in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers(AV) or addicted to much wine,(AW) but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women(AX) to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled(AY) and pure, to be busy at home,(AZ) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,(BA) so that no one will malign the word of God.(BB)

Similarly, encourage the young men(BC) to be self-controlled.(BD) In everything set them an example(BE) by doing what is good.(BF) In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.(BG)

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything,(BH) to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior(BI) attractive.(BJ)

11 For the grace(BK) of God has appeared(BL) that offers salvation to all people.(BM) 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,(BN) and to live self-controlled,(BO) upright and godly lives(BP) in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing(BQ) of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,(BR) 14 who gave himself for us(BS) to redeem us from all wickedness(BT) and to purify(BU) for himself a people that are his very own,(BV) eager to do what is good.(BW)

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Saved in Order to Do Good

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,(BX) to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,(BY) to slander no one,(BZ) to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

At one time(CA) we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness(CB) and love of God our Savior(CC) appeared,(CD) he saved us,(CE) not because of righteous things we had done,(CF) but because of his mercy.(CG) He saved us through the washing(CH) of rebirth and renewal(CI) by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us(CJ) generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace,(CK) we might become heirs(CL) having the hope(CM) of eternal life.(CN) This is a trustworthy saying.(CO) And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.(CP) These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

But avoid(CQ) foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels(CR) about the law,(CS) because these are unprofitable and useless.(CT) 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.(CU) 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Final Remarks

12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus(CV) to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.(CW) 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos(CX) on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,(CY) in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.(CZ)

Grace be with you all.(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:5 Or ordain
  2. Titus 1:6 Or children are trustworthy
  3. Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides