Titus 1–3

Greeting

1Paul, ^aa slave of God ^band an apostle of Jesus Christ, to build up ^cthe faith of God’s elect ^dand their knowledge of the truth ^ethat leads ^fto godliness, ^g2in the hope of eternal life ^hthat God, who cannot lie, ⁱpromised before time began. ^j3In His own time He has revealed ^kHis message ^lin the proclamation that I was entrusted ^mwith by the command ⁿof God our Savior: ^o

⁴To Titus, ^pmy true son ^qin our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. ^r

Titus’s Ministry in Crete

⁵The reason I left you in Crete ^swas to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders ^tin every town: ⁶one ^uwho is blameless, ^vthe husband of one wife, having faithful ^wchildren not accused of wildness or rebellion. ⁷For an overseer, ^xas God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, ⁹holding to the faithful message as taught, ^yso that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching ^zand to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰For there are also many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from Judaism. ^a11It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. ¹²One of their very own prophets said,

Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. ^b

¹³This testimony is true. ^cSo, rebuke them sharply, ^dthat they may be sound in the faith ¹⁴and may not pay attention to Jewish myths ^eand the commands of men who reject the truth. ^f

¹⁵To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience ^gare defiled. ¹⁶They profess to know God, ^hbut they deny Him by their works. ⁱThey are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work. ^j

Sound Teaching and Christian Living

2But you must say the things that are consistent with sound teaching. ^k2Older men ^lare to be level headed, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, ^mand endurance. ³In the same way, older women ⁿare to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, ⁵to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive ^oto their husbands, so that God’s message ^pwill not be slandered.

⁶In the same way, encourage the young men ^qto be self-controlled ⁷in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity ^rin your teaching. ⁸Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, ^sso that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹Slaves are to be submissive to their masters ^tin everything, and to be well-pleasing, ^unot talking back ¹⁰or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior ^vin everything.

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared with salvation ^wfor all people, ^x12instructing us to deny godlessness ^yand worldly lusts ^zand to live in a sensible, righteous, ^aand godly ^bway in the present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope ^cand appearing of the glory ^dof our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ¹⁴He gave Himself for us ^eto redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, ^feager to do good works.

¹⁵Say these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard ^gyou.

Christian Living among Outsiders

3Remind them to be submissive ^hto rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ²to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness ⁱto all people. ³For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions ^jand pleasures, ^kliving in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love

for mankind appeared, ^l

⁵He saved us ^m—

not by works of righteousness that we had done, ⁿ

but according to His mercy, ^o

through the washing of regeneration ^p

and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ^q

⁶He poured out this Spirit on us abundantly ^r

through Jesus Christ our Savior,

⁷so that having been justified by His grace, ^s

we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. ^t

⁸This saying is trustworthy. ^uI want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. ⁹But avoid foolish debates, ^vgenealogies, ^wquarrels, ^xand disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰Reject a divisive ^yperson after a first and second warning, ^z11knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.

Final Instructions and Closing

¹²When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, ^amake every effort to come to me ^bin Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos ^con their journey, so that they will lack ^dnothing.

¹⁴And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so that they will not be unfruitful. ^e15All those who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you. ^f