| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 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. | 1From Paul, a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness, |
| 2This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. | 2in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. |
| 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. | 3But now in his own time he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God 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 | 4To Titus, my genuine son in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior! |
| 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. | 5The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. |
| 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. | 6An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. |
| 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. | 7For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God's work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. |
| 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. | 8Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. |
| 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. | 9He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it. |
| 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. | 10For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections, |
| 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. | 11who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught. |
| 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.” | 12A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." |
| 13This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. | 13Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith |
| 14They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. | 14and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth. |
| 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. | 15All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted. |
| 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. | 16They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed. |
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