1Verse 1Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and a real knowledge of the Truth that accords with godliness,Verse 2in hope of eternal life+—which life God, who cannot lie,+promised before the ages of time+Verse 3but has manifested by a proclamation of His Word at chosen times, which word was entrusted to me by the command of our Savior God;+Verse 4to Titus, a true son in a common faith: Grace, mercy,+peace, from Father God and Sovereign Jesus Christ,+our Savior.Verse 5I left you in Crete+for this reason, that you should set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every town as I directed youVerse 6—if a man is blameless, a one-woman man,+having children+who believe and who are not open to the charge of being wild or disobedient.Verse 7Because as an administrator under God the overseer+must be blameless; not self-willed, not hotheaded, not given to wine, not a bully, not avaricious;Verse 8but rather hospitable, a lover of what is good, prudent, just, holy, disciplined;Verse 9holding fast the trustworthy Word as taught, so that he may be competent+both to exhort with the sound doctrine and to correct those who oppose it.
They must face opposition
Verse 10Because there really are lots of rebels, loudmouths and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group,Verse 11who must be silenced—they are ruining whole households, teaching things that they ought not, and for dishonest gain!+Verse 12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”Verse 13This testimony is true.+Therefore correct them rigorously,+that they may be sound in the faith,Verse 14not paying attention to Jewish fables or to commands of men who are rejecting the truth.+Verse 15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; in fact, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.+Verse 16They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him, being detestable, disobedient and disqualified for any good work.