1Paul, a servant[1] of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, (2Co 1:1; 1Ti 2:4; 1Ti 6:3)2in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began[2] (Nu 23:19; Ro 1:2; 2Ti 1:1; 2Ti 1:9; 2Ti 2:13; Tit 2:13; Tit 3:7; Heb 6:18; Heb 9:15)3and at the proper time manifested in his word[3] through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; (Ro 10:14; 1Ti 1:1; 1Ti 1:11; 1Ti 2:6)4To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. (1Ti 1:2; 2Pe 1:1; 3Jo 1:4; Jud 1:3)
Qualifications for Elders
5This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— (Ac 14:23; 1Ti 1:3; 2Ti 2:2)6if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,[4] and his children are believers[5] and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. (Eph 5:18; 1Ti 3:2)7For an overseer,[6] as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, (Lu 12:42; 1Co 4:1; 1Ti 3:8; 1Pe 4:10; 1Pe 5:2; 2Pe 2:10)8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. (1Co 9:25)9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound[7] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (2Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 1Ti 1:10; 1Ti 1:15; 2Ti 1:13)10For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.[8] (Ac 11:2; 1Ti 1:6)11They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. (1Ti 6:5; 2Ti 3:6; 2Pe 2:3)12One of the Cretans,[9] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”[10] (Ac 17:28)13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, (2Co 13:10; 1Ti 5:20; Tit 2:1; Tit 2:15)14not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. (Col 2:22; 1Ti 1:4; 1Ti 6:20)15To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. (Lu 11:41; Ac 10:15; Ro 14:23; 1Ti 4:3; 1Ti 6:5)16They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (1Ti 5:8; 2Ti 3:8; 1Jo 2:4)