Titus
Chapter 1
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, follows the faith of God’s chosen ones and recognizes the truth that leads to a godly life.
2 Hoping for eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world started.
3 God showed his message at the right time through preaching, which was given to me by the order of God our Savior.
4 To Titus, my true son in our shared faith: May you have kindness, compassion, and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.
5 I left you in Crete so you could fix what was needed and appoint leaders in each town, as I told you.
6 If anyone is without fault, married to one wife, and has trustworthy children who are not accused of being wild or disobedient.
7 A leader in the church must be without fault, as God’s manager; not stubborn, not quick to anger, not addicted to alcohol, not violent, not greedy for money.
8 But someone who welcomes guests, likes good people, is self-controlled, fair, holy, and disciplined;
9 Sticking to the true message as taught to him, so he can use solid teaching to encourage and prove wrong those who disagree.
10 There are many who do not obey, who talk for no good reason and trick others, especially those who insist on circumcision.
11 These people who confuse entire families by teaching wrong things for dishonest gain must be silenced.
12 One of their own prophets said, ‘People from Crete are always lying, they’re bad creatures, and they are lazy.’
13 This testimony is true. So correct them firmly, so they will have a strong faith.
14 Do not pay attention to Jewish stories or human rules that turn people away from the truth.
15 To the pure, everything is pure; but to those who are spoiled and don’t believe, nothing is pure because their minds and hearts are spoiled.
16 They claim to know God, but their actions deny Him, being hateful, disobedient, and useless for any good work.