 1 From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect~ and knowledge of the truth in godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began. 3 He has in due times manifested His Word through proclaiming+ it. And it is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. 4 To Titus, my own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. 5 For this reason+, I left you in Crete so that you should set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed you to do, 6 if any are blameless, the husband of one wife, and have faithful children who are not accused of excesses+ or unruly rebellion. 7 For bishops must be blameless as the stewards of God. Not selfwilled. Not soon angry. Not given to wine. No striker. Not given to filthy gain+. 8 But a lover of hospitality. A lover of good people+. Sober, just, holy, and temperate. 9 They must hold fast the faithful Word as they have been taught so that they may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince those who doubt+. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially among those of the circumcision. 11 Their mouths must be stopped. Some+ subvert whole houses, teaching things that they should not, for the sake of filthy lucre. 12 One of them, one of their own prophets said: The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies~. 13 This witness is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure, everything+ is pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure. Even their minds and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess that they know God. But in works, they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient and reprobate~ to every good work.
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