Paul’s Greeting to Titus
(2 Corinthians 8:16–24)

1Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the full knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2upon hope of eternal life which God, Who cannot lie, promised before eternal times, 3but in His own seasons manifested His word in a proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

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

Appointing Elders on Crete
(1 Timothy 3:1–7; 1 Peter 5:1–4)

5For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; 6if anyone is blameless, a husband of one wife, having believing children not in accusation of rioting, or unruly. 7For the bishop must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of base gain; 8but hospitable, a lover of good, sober-minded, righteous, pious, temperate; 9holding fast the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the healthful doctrine, and to convict those who contradict.

Correcting False Teachers
(1 Timothy 1:3–11)

10For there are many unruly men, vain-talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11whom it is needful to reduce to silence: who, indeed, are overthrowing whole houses, teaching what they ought not, for the sake of base gain. 12One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always false, evil beasts, idle gluttons." 13This testimony is true. For which cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15To the pure all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience have become defiled. 16They profess to know God; but by their works they deny Him; being abominable, and disobedient, and for every good work worthless.