Greetings and Grace

1Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, [†]for the faith of God’s elect and the full knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2in the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised [†]from all eternity, 3but at the proper time manifested His word in preaching, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,

4To Titus, my genuine child according to our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications of Elders

5For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6namely, if any man is beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of dissipation, or rebellious. 7For the [†]overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of dishonest gain, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.

10For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain. 12One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.