Titus 1-3

New American Standard Bible

Salutation

1 Paul, ^(A)a bond-servant of God and an ^(B)apostle of Jesus Christ, ^[a]for the faith of those ^(C)chosen of God and ^(D)the knowledge of the truth which is ^(E)according to godliness, ²in ^(F)the hope of eternal life, which God, ^(G)who cannot lie, ^(H)promised ^[b]^(I)long ages ago, ³but ^(J)at the proper time revealed His word in ^(K)the proclamation ^(L)with which I was entrusted ^(M)according to the commandment of ^(N)God our Savior;

⁴To ^(O)Titus, ^(P)my true ^[c]son ^[d]in a ^(Q)common faith: ^(R)Grace and peace from God the Father and ^(S)Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications of Elders

⁵For this reason I left you in ^(T)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and ^(U)appoint ^(V)elders in every city as I directed you, ⁶namely, ^(W)if any man is beyond reproach, the ^(X)husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of ^(Y)indecent behavior or ^(Z)rebellion. ⁷For the ^[e]^(AA)overseer must be beyond reproach as ^(AB)God’s steward, not ^(AC)self-willed, not quick-tempered, not ^(AD)overindulging in wine, not ^[f]a bully, ^(AE)not greedy for money, ⁸but ^(AF)hospitable, ^(AG)loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, ⁹^(AH)holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to ^[g]exhort in ^(AI)sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰^(AJ)For there are many ^(AK)rebellious people, ^(AL)empty talkers and deceivers, especially ^(AM)those of the circumcision, ¹¹who must be silenced because they are upsetting ^(AN)whole families, teaching ^(AO)things they should not teach ^(AP)for the sake of ^[h]dishonest gain. ¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “^(AQ)Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³This testimony is true. For this reason ^(AR)reprimand them ^(AS)severely so that they may be ^(AT)sound in the faith, ¹⁴not paying attention to Jewish ^(AU)myths and ^(AV)commandments of men who ^(AW)turn away from the truth. ¹⁵^(AX)To the pure, all things are pure; but ^(AY)to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their ^(AZ)mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶^(BA)They profess to know God, but by their deeds they ^(BB)deny Him, being ^(BC)detestable and ^(BD)disobedient and ^(BE)worthless ^(BF)for any good deed.

Proclaim Sound Doctrine

2 But as for you, proclaim the things which are fitting for ^(BG)sound doctrine. ²^(BH)Older men are to be ^[i]^(BI)temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ^(BJ)sound ^(BK)in faith, in love, in ^[j]perseverance.

³Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(BL)not malicious gossips nor ^(BM)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴so that they may ^[k]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be sensible, pure, ^(BN)workers at home, kind, being ^(BO)subject to their own husbands, ^(BP)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶Likewise urge ^(BQ)the young men to be ^[l]sensible; ⁷in all things show yourself to be ^(BR)an example of good deeds, with ^[m]purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸sound in speech which is beyond reproach, ^(BS)so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹Urge ^[n]^(BT)slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not ^[o]argumentative, ¹⁰not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ^(BU)God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹For the grace of God has ^(BV)appeared, ^[p]^(BW)bringing salvation to all people, ¹²^[q]instructing us to deny ungodliness and ^(BX)worldly desires and ^(BY)to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner ^(BZ)in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and the ^(CA)appearing of the glory of ^[r]^(CB)our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴who ^(CC)gave Himself for us ^(CD)to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to ^(CE)purify for Himself a ^(CF)people for His own possession, ^(CG)eager for good deeds.

¹⁵These things speak and ^(CH)^[s]exhort, and ^(CI)rebuke with all authority. ^(CJ)No one is to disregard you.

Godly Living

3 ^(CK)Remind them ^(CL)to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ^(CM)ready for every good deed, ²to slander no one, ^(CN)not to be contentious, to be ^(CO)gentle, ^(CP)showing every consideration for all people. ³^(CQ)For we too were once foolish, ^(CR)disobedient, ^(CS)deceived, ^(CT)enslaved to ^(CU)various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in ^(CV)malice and ^(CW)envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴But when the ^(CX)kindness of ^(CY)God our Savior and His love for mankind ^(CZ)appeared, ⁵^(DA)He saved us, ^(DB)not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but ^(DC)in accordance with His mercy, by the ^(DD)washing of regeneration and ^(DE)renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶^(DF)whom He ^(DG)richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that being justified by His grace we would be made ^(DH)heirs ^[t]according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸^(DI)This statement is trustworthy; and concerning these things I ^(DJ)want you to speak confidently, so that those who have ^(DK)believed God will be careful to ^(DL)engage in good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people. ⁹But ^(DM)avoid ^(DN)foolish controversies and ^(DO)genealogies and strife and ^(DP)disputes about the Law, for they are ^(DQ)useless and worthless. ¹⁰^(DR)Reject a ^[u]^(DS)divisive person ^(DT)after a first and second warning, ¹¹knowing that such a person has ^(DU)deviated from what is right and is sinning, being self-condemned.

Personal Concerns

¹²When I send Artemas or ^(DV)Tychicus to you, ^(DW)make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to ^(DX)spend the winter there. ¹³Diligently help Zenas the ^(DY)lawyer and ^(DZ)Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. ¹⁴^(EA)Our people must also learn to ^(EB)engage in good ^[v]deeds to meet ^(EC)pressing needs, so that they will not be ^(ED)unproductive.