CHAPTER 1
Paul,
a servant
of God
and
an apostle
of Jesus
Christ
in service of
the faith
of God’s
elect
and
of their knowledge
of the truth
that
leads to
godliness,
In His own
time,
He has revealed
His
message
in
the proclamation
entrusted
to me
by
the command
of God
our
Savior.
To Titus,
my true
child
in
our common
faith:
Grace
and
peace
from
God
the Father
and
Christ
Jesus
our
Savior.
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.
An elder must
be
blameless,
the husband
of one
wife,
having
children
who are believers
and are not
open to
accusation
of indiscretion
or
insubordination.
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.
He must hold firmly
to the
trustworthy
message
as
it was taught,
so that
by
sound
teaching
he will be able
to encourage others
and
refute
those who
contradict this message.
For
many
are
rebellious
and
full of empty talk
and
deception,
especially
those
of
the
circumcision,
who
must
be silenced.
For the sake of
dishonorable
gain,
they
undermine
entire
households
and teach
things
they should
not.
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.
They profess
to know
God,
but
they deny Him
by their
actions.
They are
detestable,
disobedient,
and
unfit
for
any
good
deed.