Titus 1

1 Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God’s elect and in acknowledgment of the truth which is accompanied by piety,

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

2 in the hope of the eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before the ages of time, (aiōnios g166)

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. (aiōnios g166)

3 which, at the proper time, he has manifested by his Word, in the preaching that has been entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior;

In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.

4 to Titus, beloved son according to the common faith. Grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior.

To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

5 For this reason, I left you behind in Crete: so that those things which are lacking, you would correct, and so that you would ordain, throughout the communities, priests, (just as I also ordained you)

The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

6 if such a man is without offense, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of self-indulgence, nor of insubordination.

An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

7 And a bishop, as a steward of God, must be without offense: not arrogant, not short-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not desiring tainted profit,

As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.

8 but instead: hospitable, kind, sober, just, holy, chaste,

Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

9 embracing faithful speech which is in agreement with doctrine, so that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to argue against those who contradict.

He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.

10 For there are, indeed, many who are disobedient, who speak empty words, and who deceive, especially those who are of the circumcision.

For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,

11 These must be reproved, for they subvert entire houses, teaching things which should not be taught, for the favor of shameful gain.

who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.

12 A certain one of these, a prophet of their own kind, said: “The Cretans are ever liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

13 This testimony is true. Because of this, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith,

This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith

14 not paying attention to Jewish fables, nor to the rules of men who have turned themselves away from the truth.

and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.

15 All things are clean to those who are clean. But to those who are defiled, and to unbelievers, nothing is clean; for both their mind and their conscience have been polluted.

To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

16 They claim that they know God. But, by their own works, they deny him, since they are abominable, and unbelieving, and reprobate, toward every good work.

They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.