1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2in hope of everlasting life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began; 3but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

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

5I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; 6if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. 7For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; 8but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined; 9holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

10For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11whose mouths must be silenced; who are upsetting whole families, teaching things which they should not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons." 13This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of people who reject 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 that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.