Titus 1:1-2:12

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, a servant^[a] of God and ^(A)an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and ^(B)their knowledge of the truth, ^(C)which accords with godliness, ^2 (D)in hope of eternal life, which God, ^(E)who never lies, ^(F)promised ^(G)before the ages began^{[b] 3} and ^(H)at the proper time manifested in his word^{[c] (I)}through the preaching ^(J)with which I have been entrusted ^(K)by the command of God our Savior;

⁴ To Titus, ^(L)my true child in ^(M)a common faith:

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

Qualifications for Elders

^5 (O)This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and ^(P)appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ^6 (Q)if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,^[d] and his children are believers^[e] and not open to the charge of ^(R)debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer,^{[f] (S)}as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not ^(T)be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent ^(U)or greedy for gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, ^(V)and disciplined. ⁹ He must ^(W)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in ^(X)sound^[g] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(Y)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(Z)the circumcision party.^{[h] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(AA)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(AB)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. ^12 (AC)One of the Cretans,^[i] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”^{[j] 13} This testimony is true. Therefore ^(AD)rebuke them ^(AE)sharply, that they ^(AF)may be sound in the faith, ^14 (AG)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and ^(AH)the commands of people ^(AI)who turn away from the truth. ^15 (AJ)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and ^(AK)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both ^(AL)their minds and their consciences are defiled. ^16 (AM)They profess to know God, but they ^(AN)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, ^(AO)unfit for any good work.

Teach Sound Doctrine

2 But as for you, teach what accords with ^(AP)sound^[k] doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, ^(AQ)sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ^3 (AR)Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, ^(AS)not slanderers ^(AT)or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, ^(AU)pure, ^(AV)working at home, kind, and ^(AW)submissive to their own husbands, ^(AX)that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶ Likewise, urge ^(AY)the younger men to be self-controlled. ⁷ Show yourself in all respects to be ^(AZ)a model of good works, and in your teaching ^(BA)show integrity, ^(BB)dignity, ⁸ and ^(BC)sound speech that cannot be condemned, ^(BD)so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. ^9 (BE)Bondservants^[l] are to be submissive to their own masters ^(BF)in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, ^(BG)but showing all good faith, ^(BH)so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

¹¹ For ^(BI)the grace of God ^(BJ)has appeared, bringing salvation ^(BK)for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and ^(BL)worldly passions, and ^(BM)to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in ^(BN)the present age,