To Titus
1 Paul, a slave+ of God and an apostle+ of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen+ ones and the accurate knowledge+ of the truth+ which accords with godly devotion+ 2 upon the basis of a hope of the everlasting life+ which God, who cannot lie,+ promised before times long lasting,*+ 3 whereas in his own due times he made his word manifest in the preaching* with which I was entrusted,+ under command of our Savior,+ God;* 4 to Titus, a genuine child+ according to a faith shared in common:
May there be undeserved kindness and peace from God [the] Father+ and Christ Jesus our Savior.+
5 For this reason I left you in Crete,+ that you might correct the things that were defective and might make appointments+ of older men* in city after city, as I gave you orders;+ 6 if there is any man free from accusation,+ a husband of one wife,+ having believing children that were not under a charge of debauchery nor unruly.+ 7 For an overseer* must be free from accusation+ as God’s steward,*+ not self-willed,+ not prone to wrath,+ not a drunken brawler,+ not a smiter,+ not greedy of dishonest gain,+ 8 but hospitable,*+ a lover of goodness, sound in mind,+ righteous, loyal,+ self-controlled,+ 9 holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his [art of] teaching,+ that he may be able both to exhort by the teaching that is healthful+ and to reprove+ those who contradict.
10 For there are many unruly men,* profitless talkers,+ and deceivers of the mind, especially those men who adhere to the circumcision.+ 11 It is necessary to shut the mouths of these, as these very men keep on subverting entire households+ by teaching things they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain.+ 12 A certain one of them, their own prophet,* said: “Creʹtans are always liars, injurious+ wild beasts, unemployed gluttons.”*
13 This witness is true. For this very cause keep on reproving them with severity,+ that they may be healthy+ in the faith, 14 paying no attention to Jewish fables+ and commandments of men+ who turn themselves away from the truth.+ 15 All things are clean to clean [persons].+ But to [persons] defiled+ and faithless+ nothing is clean, but both their minds and their consciences+ are defiled. 16 They publicly declare they know God,+ but they disown him by their works,+ because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved+ for good work of any sort.
2 You, however, keep on speaking what things are fitting for healthful+ teaching. 2 Let the aged men+ be moderate in habits, serious,+ sound in mind, healthy in faith,+ in love, in endurance.+ 3 Likewise let the aged women+ be reverent in behavior, not slanderous,+ neither enslaved to a lot of wine, teachers of what is good; 4 that they may recall the young women to their senses* to love their husbands,+ to love their children,+ 5 to be sound in mind, chaste,+ workers at home, good, subjecting+ themselves to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively.*+
6 Likewise keep on exhorting the younger men to be sound in mind,+ 7 in all things showing yourself an example of fine works;+ showing uncorruptness+ in your teaching,+ seriousness, 8 wholesome speech which cannot be condemned;+ so that the man on the opposing side may get ashamed, having nothing vile to say about us.+ 9 Let slaves+ be in subjection to their owners in all things,+ and please them well, not talking back,+ 10 not committing theft,*+ but exhibiting good fidelity to the full,+ so that they may adorn the teaching of our Savior,+ God, in all things.
11 For the undeserved kindness+ of God which brings salvation+ to all sorts of men+ has been manifested,+ 12 instructing us to repudiate ungodliness+ and worldly desires+ and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion*+ amid this present system of things,*+ 13 while we wait for the happy hope+ and glorious+ manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus,* 14 who gave himself+ for us that he might deliver+ us from every sort of lawlessness and cleanse+ for himself a people peculiarly his own,+ zealous for fine works.+
15 Keep on speaking these things and exhorting and reproving with full authority to command.*+ Let no man ever despise+ you.
3 Continue reminding them to be in subjection+ and be obedient to governments and authorities as rulers,+ to be ready for every good work,+ 2 to speak injuriously of no one, not to be belligerent,*+ to be reasonable,*+ exhibiting all mildness toward all men.+ 3 For even we were once senseless, disobedient, being misled, being slaves to various desires and pleasures, carrying on in badness and envy, abhorrent, hating one another.+
4 However, when the kindness+ and the love for man* on the part of our Savior,+ God, was manifested,+ 5 owing to no works+ in righteousness that we had performed,+ but according to his mercy+ he saved us through the bath+ that brought us to life*+ and through the making of us new by holy spirit.+ 6 This [spirit] he poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior,+ 7 that, after being declared righteous+ by virtue of the undeserved kindness of that one,+ we might become heirs+ according to a hope of everlasting life.+
8 Faithful is the saying,+ and concerning these things I desire you to make firm assertions constantly, in order that those who have believed God may keep their minds on maintaining fine works.+ These things are fine and beneficial to men.
9 But shun foolish questionings+ and genealogies+ and strife+ and fights over the Law,+ for they are unprofitable and futile. 10 As for a man that promotes a sect,*+ reject+ him after a first and a second admonition;*+ 11 knowing that such a man has been turned out of the way* and is sinning, he being self-condemned.+
12 When I send Arʹte·mas or Tychʹi·cus+ to you, do your utmost to come to me at Ni·copʹo·lis, for there is where I have decided to winter.+ 13 Carefully supply Zeʹnas, who is versed in the Law,* and A·polʹlos for their trip, that they may not lack anything.+ 14 But let our people also learn to maintain fine works so as to meet their pressing needs,+ that they may not be unfruitful.+
15 All those with me send you their greetings.+ Give my greetings to those who have affection for us in the faith.
May the undeserved kindness be with all of YOU people.+
Or, “promised long ago.”
Or, “manifest in the public announcement.”
Lit., “of the Savior of us, God.” Gr., tou so·teʹros he·monʹ The·ouʹ; Lat., Sal·va·toʹris noʹstri Deʹi; J17,22(Heb.), ha·ʼElo·himʹ Moh·shi·ʽeʹnu.
Or, “appoint elders.”
“Overseer.” Gr., e·piʹsko·pon; J17(Heb.), pheqidhʹ.
Or, “house manager.” Lit., “house administrator.” Gr., oi·ko·noʹmon; Lat., di·spen·sa·toʹrem; J17(Heb.), keso·khenʹ, “as steward.”
Or, “a lover of strangers.”
“Unruly men.” Lit., “not self-subjecting (ones).”
Epimenides, a Cretan poet of the sixth cent. B.C.E.
“Unemployed gluttons.” Lit., “ineffective bellies.”
Lit., “they may be making mentally sound the young [women].”
Lit., “may not be blasphemed.” Gr., me . . . bla·sphe·meʹtai; Lat., non bla·sphe·meʹtur.
Or, “not embezzling.”
“Godly devotion,” אAVg; J7,8, “fear of Jehovah.”
Or, “order of things.” Gr., ai·oʹni; Lat., saeʹcu·lo; J17,22(Heb.), ba·ʽoh·lamʹ haz·zehʹ, “amid this order of things.”
For a discussion of this vs, see App 6E.
“Authority to command.” Lit., “enjoinder.”
Lit., “not disposed to fight.”
Lit., “yielding.”
Lit., “the philanthropy.” Gr., he phi·lan·thro·piʹa. Compare Ac 28:2 ftn, “Kindness.”
Or, “the bath of rebirth.” Lit., “bath of regeneration.” Gr., lou·trouʹ pa·lin·ge·ne·siʹas; Lat., la·vaʹcrum re·ge·ne·ra·ti·oʹnis. Compare Mt 19:28 ftn.
“That promotes a sect.” Or, “sectarian.” Gr., hai·re·ti·konʹ; Lat., he·reʹti·cum.
Lit., “putting mind within.”
Lit., “has been turned inside out.”
“Versed in the Law.” Lit., “the lawyer.” Gr., ton no·mi·konʹ.