| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, | 1This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. |
| 2in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, | 2This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. |
| 3but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; | 3And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him. |
| 4To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. | 4I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace. Titus’s Work in Crete |
| 5For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— | 5I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. |
| 6if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. | 6An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. |
| 7For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, | 7A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. |
| 8but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, | 8Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. |
| 9holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. | 9He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong. |
| 10For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, | 10For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. |
| 11whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. | 11They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. |
| 12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” | 12Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” |
| 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, | 13This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. |
| 14not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. | 14They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. |
| 15To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. | 15Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. |
| 16They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. | 16Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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