Titus 1

1 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,

Paul, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in agreement with the faith of the saints of God and the full knowledge of what is true in harmony with religion,

2 in hope of the consummate (aiōnios g166) life, which God, who cannnot lie, promised before time began;

In the hope of eternal life, which was made certain before eternal time, by the word of God who is ever true; (aiōnios g166)

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

Who, in his time, made clear his word in the good news, of which, by the order of God our Saviour, I became a preacher;

4 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.

To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

5 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—

I did not take you with me when I went away from Crete, so that you might do what was necessary to put things in order there, placing men in authority over the churches in every town, as I said to you;

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

Men having a good record, husbands of one wife, whose children are of the faith, children of whom it may not be said that they are given to loose living or are uncontrolled.

7 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;

For it is necessary for a Bishop to be a man of virtue, as God's servant; not pushing himself forward, not quickly moved to wrath or blows, not desiring profit for himself;

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

But opening his house freely to guests; a lover of what is good, serious-minded, upright, holy, self-controlled;

9 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.

Keeping to the true word of the teaching, so that he may be able to give comfort by right teaching and overcome the arguments of the doubters.

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

For there are men who are not ruled by law; foolish talkers, false teachers, specially those of the circumcision,

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

By whom some families have been completely overturned; who take money for teaching things which are not right; these will have to be stopped.

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

One of their prophets has said, The men of Crete are ever false, evil beasts, lovers of food, hating work.

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

This witness is true. So say sharp words to them so that they may come to the right faith,

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

Giving no attention to the fictions of the Jews and the rules of men who have no true knowledge.

15 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.

To the clean in heart all things are clean: but to those who are unclean and without faith nothing is clean; they become unclean in mind and in thought.

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

They say that they have knowledge of God, while by their acts they are turning their backs on him; they are hated by all, hard-hearted, and judged to be without value for any good work.