1 P aul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with 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 i n hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

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

3 b ut has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

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, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Qualified Elders

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 F or this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—

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 i f a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

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 a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

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 hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

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

9 h olding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. The Elders’ Task

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, both idle talkers and deceivers, 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 must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of 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 them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

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

13 T his testimony 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 who turn from the truth.

not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

15 T o the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are 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 to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for 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.