Greeting
1 Paul, 1:1 Ac 13:9 a servant of God 1:1 Ac 16:17; Rm 1:1; Eph 6:6; Jms 1:1; 1Pt 2:16; Rv 1:1 and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for 1:1 Or according to the faith of God’s elect 1:1 Mt 22:14; 24:22; Lk 18:7; Rm 8:33; Col 3:12; 1Co 1:27–28; 1Th 1:4; Jms 2:5 and their knowledge of the truth 1:1 1Tm 2:4; 2Tm 3:7 that leads 1:1 Or corresponds to godliness, 1:1 1Tm 6:32 in the hope of eternal life 1:2 1Co 15:19; Ti 3:7; Heb 9:15 that God, who cannot lie, 1:2 Nm 23:19; Heb 6:18 promised before time began. 1:2 Rm 1:2; 2Tm 1:93 In his own time he has revealed 1:3 Jn 21:1; 2Co 4:11; 1Pt 5:4; 1Jn 1:2 his word 1:3 Jn 1:1; 2:22; 2Tm 2:15; Heb 4:12 in the preaching with which I was entrusted 1:3 1Tm 1:11; 6:20; 2Tm 1:12,14 by the command 1:3 1Tm 1:1 of God our Savior: 1:3 1Tm 1:1; 2:3; Ti 2:10; 3:4; Jd 25
4 To Titus, 1:4 2Co 2:13; 7:6,13–14; 8:6,16,23; 12:18; Gl 2:1,3; 2Tm 4:10 my true son 1:4 1Tm 1:2 in our common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 1:4 Rm 1:7; 1Co 1:3
Titus’s Ministry in Crete
5 The reason I left you in Crete 1:5 Ac 27:7,12–13 was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders 1:5 1Tm 3:1–7; 5:17 in every town. 6 An elder 1:6–8 1Tm 3:2–4 must be blameless, 1:6 Col 1:22 the husband of one wife, with faithful 1:6 Or believing children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. 7 As an overseer 1:7 Ac 20:28; Php 1:1; 1Pt 2:25 of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding to the faithful message as taught, 1:9 Ac 2:42 so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching 1:9 1Tm 1:10; 6:3; 2Tm 1:13; Ti 2:1 and to refute those who contradict it.
10 For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. 11 It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. 12 One of their very own prophets said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." 13 This testimony is true. 1:13 Jn 8:14 For this reason, rebuke them sharply, 1:13 2Co 13:10 so that they may be sound in the faith 14 and may not pay attention to Jewish myths 1:14 1Tm 1:4; 4:7; 2Tm 4:4; 2Pt 1:16 and the commands of people who reject the truth. 1:14 2Tm 4:4
15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience 1:15 Heb 13:18 are defiled. 16 They claim to know God, 1:16 Jn 7:28 but they deny him by their works. 1:16 Mk 14:6; 2Co 9:8; Gl 3:10; Jms 2:14–26 They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. 1:16 2Co 9:8