1 PAUL, God’s bondman, and Jesus Christ’s apostle, according to the faith of God’s elect and knowledge of truth: according to godliness
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who lies not, promised before age-times;
3 but in his own seasons manifested his: word in a proclamation, wherewith I was entrusted according to the commandment of: God our Savior;
4 to Titus, my genuine child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our: Savior.
Ordain Elders in Every City
5 For this cause left I thee in Crētē, that thou shouldest set in order the things wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;
6 if any is blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
8 but a lover of strangers, lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;
9 holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he be able both to exhort in the: sound teaching, and to convict the gainsayers.
10 For many are unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped; the which overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies.
13 This: testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they be sound in the faith,
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
15 To the pure all things are pure: but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their: mind and: conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work disapproved.