1 ¶ Paul, slave of God, and apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness;

This letter is from Paul, a servant owned by God, and a missionary of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to those God has chosen for Himself. I am to teach them the truth that leads to God-like living.

2 f or the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages

This truth also gives hope of life that lasts forever. God promised this before the world began. He cannot lie.

3 a nd has manifested in due times. It is his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

He made this known at the right time through His Word. God, the One Who saves, told me I should preach it.

4 t o Titus, true son in the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Christ, our Saviour.

I am writing to you, Titus. You are my true son in the faith which we both have. May you have loving-favor and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. What a Church Leader Must Be Like

5 ¶ For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou should correct that which is lacking and set in place elders in every city, as I had commanded thee:

I left you on the island of Crete so you could do some things that needed to be done. I asked you to choose church leaders in every city.

6 ¶ He who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children who can not be accused of dissoluteness, nor insubordinate.

Their lives must be so that no one can talk against them. They must have only one wife. Their children must be Christians and known to be good. They must obey their parents. They must not be wild.

7 F or the bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God; not arrogant, not quick to anger, not given to wine, not hurtful, not greedy of dishonest gain,

A church leader is God’s servant. His life must be so that no one can say anything against him. He should not try to please himself and not be quick to get angry over little things. He must not get drunk or want to fight. He must not always want more money for himself.

8 b ut a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, temperate, just, holy, gentle,

He must like to take people into his home. He must love what is good. He must be able to think well and do all things in the right way. He must live a holy life and be the boss over his own desires.

9 h olding fast the doctrine according to the faithful word, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

He must hold to the words of truth which he was taught. He must be able to teach the truth and show those who are against the truth that they are wrong. False Teachers

10 F or there are many insubordinate and vain talkers and deceivers of souls, especially those of the circumcision,

There are many men who will not listen or will not obey the truth. Their teaching is foolish and they lead people to believe a lie. Some Jews believe their lies.

11 w hose mouths it is expedient to stop, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain.

This must be stopped. It turns whole families from the truth. They teach these things to make money.

12 O ne of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.

One of their own teachers said, “People of the island of Crete always lie. They are like wild animals. They are lazy. All they want to do is eat.”

13 T his witness is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

This is true of them. Speak sharp words to them because it is true. Lead them in the right way so they will have strong faith.

14 n ot giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Do not let them listen to Jewish stories made up by men. Do not let them listen to man-made rules which lead them away from the truth.

15 F or unto the pure all things are pure, but unto those that are defiled and unfaithful, nothing is pure, but even their soul and conscience is defiled.

All things are pure to the man with a pure heart. But to sinful people nothing is pure. Both their minds and their hearts are bad.

16 T hey profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and rebellious and reprobate unto every good work.

They say they know God, but by the way they act, they show that they do not. They are sinful people. They will not obey and are of no use for any good work.