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;

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

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

in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;

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;

but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

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.

to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

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 in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

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

if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.

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,

For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;

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

but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled;

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.

holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

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

For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

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

whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.

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

One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”

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

This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

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

not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn 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.

To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

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 profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.