< Titus 1 >

1 Paulus, een dienstknecht Gods, en een apostel van Jezus Christus, naar het geloof der uitverkorenen Gods, en de kennis der waarheid, die naar de godzaligheid is;
I, Paul, [am writing this letter to you, Titus]. [God appointed me to be] his servant and [to be] an apostle [who represents] Jesus Christ. [God appointed me in order that I might teach] those whom God has chosen [to be his people] to [correctly] believe [in him]. He wants me to teach them the true [teachings about God], in order that they will learn to behave (in a [godly manner/] a [manner that pleases God]).
2 In de hoop des eeuwigen levens, welke God, Die niet liegen kan, beloofd heeft, voor de tijden der eeuwen, (aiōnios g166)
[As a result of my doing these things, his people] confidently expect that God will cause them to live forever. God, who never lies, promised before he created the world that [his people] would live forever. (aiōnios g166)
3 maar geopenbaard heeft te Zijner tijd; Namelijk Zijn Woord, door de prediking, die mij toebetrouwd is, naar het bevel van God, onze Zaligmaker;
Then at the time that he [chose], he revealed [to us his] message. [Specifically], God our Savior gave this message to me, and he trusted me to proclaim it to people.
4 aan Titus, mijn oprechten zoon, naar het gemeen geloof: Genade, barmhartigheid, vrede zij u van God den Vader, en den Heere Jezus Christus, onzen Zaligmaker.
Titus, [I am writing this letter] to [you because you are like] a true son [MET] [to me because I led/helped you to] believe the same [teachings about Christ that I do]. ([I pray that/May]) [God our Father and Christ Jesus our Savior will continue to] act kindly toward you and cause you to have [inner] peace.
5 Om die oorzaak heb ik u te Kreta gelaten, opdat gij, hetgeen nog ontbrak, voorts zoudt te recht brengen, en dat gij van stad tot stad zoudt ouderlingen stellen, gelijk ik u bevolen heb:
When I [asked you] to stay on Crete [island], I wanted you to do these things: [Teach the believers what they need to know so that they] can understand correctly the [spiritual] matters about which some are teaching wrongly. Appoint elders [in the congregation] in each town in the manner in which I told you to do.
6 Indien iemand onberispelijk is, ener vrouwe man, gelovige kinderen hebbende, die niet te beschuldigen zijn van overdadigheid, of ongehoorzaam zijn.
[When you appoint men as elders], you must choose men whom no one can [justly] accuse of [habitually] doing what is wrong (OR, whom everyone speaks well of). Specifically, appoint men who have been faithful to their wives. Appoint men whose children faithfully obey [them. Do not appoint men whose children habitually] do all the things that their bodies urge them to do, or who refuse to obey their parents.
7 Want een opziener moet onberispelijk zijn, als een huisverzorger Gods, niet eigenzinnig, niet genegen tot toornigheid, niet genegen tot den wijn, geen smijter, geen vuil-gewinzoeker;
Leaders [of the congregation] must be [men] who, as everyone knows, habitually do what is good (OR, [whom] no one can [justly] accuse of doing what is wrong), because it is on God’s behalf that they will direct/serve [the congregation. Specifically, they must] not be arrogant/proud. They must not easily become angry. They must not [be men who] drink much alcohol. They must not [be men who] ([act] violently/fight) [when they are angry. They must] not [be men who are] (greedy for/strongly desire to get) money.
8 Maar die gaarne herbergt, die de goeden liefheeft, matig, rechtvaardig, heilig, kuis;
Instead, they must be ones who welcome and take care of guests. They must (be devoted to/like to do) what is good. They must do [what God considers] to be right. They must be (holy/completely dedicated to God). They must be men who do what their minds tell them is right to do [and not what their emotions/desires urge them to do].
9 Die vasthoudt aan het getrouwe woord, dat naar de leer is, opdat hij machtig zij, beide om te vermanen door de gezonde leer, en om de tegensprekers te wederleggen.
They must firmly believe in the message [about Jesus Christ] exactly as [I/we(inc)] taught it, in order that they might be able to teach [the believers] what is correct and to urge [them to follow it well. If they firmly accept our message], they will be able to convince those who oppose [what is correct that they are wrong].
10 Want er zijn ook vele ongeregelden, ijdelheidsprekers en verleiders van zinnen, inzonderheid die uit de besnijdenis zijn;
[I say this] because there are many [people who oppose the correct teachings]. They refuse to obey people who have authority over them, they talk ([on and on/without stopping]), saying what helps no one, and they deceive people. The Jewish [believers] [MTY] [who insist we must obey all the Jewish rituals are] especially [doing this].
11 Welken men moet den mond stoppen, die gehele huizen verkeren, lerende wat niet behoort, om vuil gewins wil.
[You and the leaders whom you appoint] should prevent such people from teaching [the believers]. They are causing whole families to stop believing in the correct teachings [MET] by means of their teaching [people wrong ideas/teachings. They are teaching people only] in order that people will give them money, [which is very] shameful [for them to do].
12 Een uit hen, zijnde hun eigen profeet, heeft gezegd: De Kretensen zijn altijd leugenachtig, kwade beesten, luie buiken.
A man from Crete [island] whom [they consider] a prophet said, “[My fellow] Cretan people are always lying [to one another! They are like dangerous] wild animals [MET]! They are lazy and always eat too much food [SYN]!”
13 Deze getuigenis is waar. Daarom bestraf hen scherpelijk, opdat zij gezond mogen zijn in het geloof.
The words that this man said [about the Cretan people] are [still] true, [especially about their being liars]. So, rigorously convince/show [those Cretan believers] that those [false teachings] are wrong. Tell them to [firmly] believe in the correct teachings.
14 En zich niet begeven tot Joodse fabelen, en geboden der mensen, die hen van de waarheid afkeren.
[Teach them that] they should no [longer] listen to the stories that the Jews (made up/invented). [Especially] they should refuse to obey those who reject our true teachings, because those people are teaching things that only come from human beings, [not from God].
15 Alle dingen zijn wel rein den reinen, maar den bevlekten en ongelovigen is geen ding rein, maar beide hun verstand en geweten zijn bevlekt.
[Believers should reject] what they teach about food, [because] no [food that we eat] can make us unacceptable to God if we are pure [in our] ([inner beings/hearts]). But if people are evil and they do not trust [in Christ Jesus], there is no [ritual] that can make them acceptable to God. Such people’s way of thinking has been ruined {Such people have ruined their way of thinking}, and they do not even feel guilty [when they do what is evil].
16 Zij belijden, dat zij God kennen, maar zij verloochenen Hem met de werken, alzo zij gruwelijk zijn en ongehoorzaam, en tot alle goed werk ongeschikt.
Even though they claim/say that they know God, by what they do they [show that they] do not know (God/his true teaching). They do not obey [God], and they are unable to do anything that he considers to be good. [So God considers them to be absolutely] disgusting!

< Titus 1 >