1•1Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of [furthering] the faith of God's chosen ones and [their] knowledge of the truth which is in accord with reverence, •2in hope of eternal life which God, who does not lie, promised before times eternal, •3and at the proper time he made his word apparent in the preached message with which I was entrusted in accordance with the command of God our Savior;

•4To Titus, [my] genuine child in regard to a common faith:

Grace and peace¹ from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

•5For this purpose I left you in Crete, so that you might further correct² the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I ordered you, •6if anyone is unimpeachable, the husband of one wife, and has believing children who are not accused of dissipation or insubordinate. •7For a supervisor³ has to be unimpeachable, as God's steward, not stubborn, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not fond of dishonest gain, •8but hospitable, a lover of good, prudent, just, devout, [and] self-controlled. •9[He must] hold to the faithful word in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able to keep exhorting in the healthy teaching and keep reproving those who contradict [it].

•10For there are indeed many insubordinate [people], vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision [party]. •11Their mouths have to be stopped; they are overturning whole households by teaching things which they ought not for the sake of shameful gain. •12A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans [are] always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons."⁴ •13This testimony is true. For this reason keep reproving them severely, so that they may be healthy in the faith, •14and not pay attention to Jewish myths and to commands of men who turn away from the truth. •15To the pure all things [are] pure, but to the polluted and unbelieving nothing [is] pure; but

Titus 1

both their minds and consciences have been polluted. •16They profess to know God, but by [their] works they deny [him], since they are abominable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.

2•1But [as for] you, keep speaking things that are fitting for healthy teaching. •2[Tell] the older men to be temperate, dignified, prudent, healthy in faith, in love, and in endurance. •3In a similar way [tell] the older women [to act] in behavior as is fitting for sacred [persons], not [to be] slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, but teachers of what is good, •4so that they may urge the young women to be loving toward [their] husbands, loving toward [their] children, •5prudent, pure, working at home, good, [and] subject to [their] own husbands, so that the word of God may not be blasphemed. •6In a similar way keep exhorting the younger men to be prudent. •7Show yourself in all respects [to be] an example of good works. In [your] teaching [show] integrity,¹ dignity,² •8and healthy speech that cannot be condemned, so that [your] opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. •9[Exhort] slaves to stay subject to [their] own masters in all things [and] to be pleasing [to them]; [they are] not to talk back,³ •10not to pilfer, but to show all good faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in all things.

•11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, •12[and] training us so that, having denied irreverence and worldly desires, we might live prudently and righteously and reverently in the present age, •13while we wait for the blessed hope, even the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior⁴ Jesus Christ, •14who gave himself for us so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a special people [who are] zealous for good works.

•15Keep speaking these things and exhorting and reproving with all strictness.⁵ No one must disregard you.

3•1Keep reminding them to stay subject to rulers [and] authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, •2to be slandering no one, not to be quarrelsome, [but] gentle, showing all meekness toward all men. •3For we also were once senseless, disobedient, misled, serving as slaves

Titus 3

to various desires and pleasures, spending [our lives] in malice and envy, destestable, [and] hating one another. •4But when the kindness of God our Savior and [his] love for man appeared, •5he saved us, not by works which we had done in righteousness, but in accordance with his [own] mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, •6which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, •7so that, having been declared righteous by his grace, we might become heirs in accordance with the hope of eternal life.

•8The saying [is] faithful, and I want you to keep speaking confidently about these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to keep engaging in good works.¹ These things are good and profitable to men. •9But keep avoiding foolish controversies and genealogies and strifes and fightings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. •10[As for] a man who is factious,² after a first and second admonition, refuse [to have anything more to do with him], •11knowing that such [a person] has been perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

•12Whenever I should send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make a diligent effort to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. •13Diligently assist Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, so that nothing may be lacking to them. •14And our people must also learn to keep engaging in good works¹ for [meeting] pressing needs, so that they may not be unfruitful.

•15All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace [be] with ^†you all.³