Chapter One
Paul, God’s servant and Jesus Christ’s apostle according to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of truth according to godliness, in the hope of everlasting life which the God who cannot lie promised before the ages of time, and has in due time made apparent his word, with the proclamation of which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour, to Titus, my true child according to our common faith: grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
For this cause I left you in Crete so that you might set to right the things lacking and might appoint elders in every city as I instructed you, if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing children and not accused of dissoluteness or unruliness - for the superintendent ought to be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-willed, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of base gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word according to the teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage with sound teaching and reprove those who contradict. For there are many and unruly vain talkers and deceivers of the mind, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not to, for the sake of base gain.
One of them, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons!” This testimony is true! For which reason rebuke them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men, turning away from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are polluted and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are polluted. They profess to know God but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient and worthless as to every good work.
Chapter Two
And you, speak the things which become sound teaching, that the aged men be sober, grave, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the aged women similarly: in deportment as becomes holiness, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is right, so that they may school the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken evil of. The young men similarly exhort to be discreet, in everything holding yourself out as a pattern of good works, in teaching uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech not to be condemned, so that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say about you.
Servants should be subject to their own masters, being well-pleasing in everything, not contradictory, not purloining but showing all good faith so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Saviour in all things.
For the grace of God, which brings salvation to all men, has appeared, instructing us so that, having denied ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live discreetly and righteously and godly, in the present age, waiting for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and might purify for himself a special people, zealous of good works. Speak and exhort these things, and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Chapter Three
Remind them to be subject to rulers and to authorities, to be ready for every good work; to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, but mild, showing gentleness to all men. For we too were once ourselves silly, disobedient, led astray serving various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another, but then the kindness and love towards men of our Saviour God appeared, not from righteous works which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he has poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that having been justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of everlasting life.
Faithful is the word, and I desire you to affirm strongly about these things so that they who have believed God may take care to be forward in good works. These things are good and profitable to men, but stand apart from foolish questions and genealogies and arguments and contentions about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless. After one warning and a second, reject a heretical person, knowing that such a one is perverted, and is sinning, being condemned in himself.
When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be sure to come to see me at Nicopolis, for I’ve decided to winter there. Set Zenas the lawyer and Apollos surely on their way so that nothing be lacking to them. And let ours also learn to be forward in good works for urgent necessities, so that they may not be unfruitful. All the ones with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Truly.
To Titus, chosen first superintendent of the assembly of the Cretans.
Written from Nicopolis of Macedonia.
This translation,
from the Greek Text used for the ‘Authorized’ or ‘King James’ Version
Copyright © David Lawrie 1998
