TITUS

 

Titus Chapter 1

1 ¶ Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect, and recognition of the truth that is in accord with godliness;

2 Looking to the hope of eternal life, that God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago;

3 But at the appointed time has made known, through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, mine own son in the faith we share: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 ¶ The reason I left you in Crete, was to set right what was left undone, and to ordain elders in every city, as I instructed you:

6 ¶ If one is blameless, the faithful husband of one wife, who has believing children that are not open to the charge of being wild or rebellious.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not quick tempered, not given to wine, not one who hits, not covetous or greedy for gain;

8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober-minded, upright, moral, and self-controlled;

9 Holding fast to the faithful word as he has been taught, so he will be able to comfort people with sound teaching and convict those who oppose it.

10 For there are many rebellious and idle talkers and deceivers, especially those who are circumcised:

11 They must be silenced, because they overthrow entire households, teaching things that they should not, in order to profit through dishonesty.

12 One of them, one of their own prophets, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.

13 That statement is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they might be sound in the faith;

14 Paying no attention to Jewish myths, and the commandments of men, who have turned from the truth.

15 To the pure everything is pure: but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; both their mind and conscience is defiled.

16 They profess to know God; but deny him by their works, being detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do any good work.

[Note: (Verse 5) In early Christian congregations (as in the synagogues where Paul preached) the older men who led the congregation were ordained, but the paid preachers (Rabbis) were not.]