1 P aul, 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,

2 i n hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

3 b ut has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

4 T o Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Qualified Elders

5 F or 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—

6 i f a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

7 F or 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,

8 b ut hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

9 h olding 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. The Elders’ Task

10 F or there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

11 w hose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

12 O ne of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

13 T his testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 n ot giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.

15 T o 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.

16 T hey profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.