Titus 1

1 This letter comes from Paul, servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I'm sent to build up the trust of God's chosen people and to share the knowledge of the truth that leads to lives lived for God.

Paul, bondman of God, and apostle of Jesus Christ according to [the] faith of God's elect, and knowledge of [the] truth which [is] according to piety;

2 This gives them the hope of eternal life that God (who cannot lie) promised ages ago, (aiōnios g166)

in [the] hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the ages of time, (aiōnios g166)

3 but which at the proper time he revealed through his word in the message which I was entrusted to give, following the command of God our Savior.

but has manifested in its own due season his word, in [the] proclamation with which I have been entrusted, according to [the] commandment of our Saviour God;

4 This letter is sent to Titus, my true son through the trust in God we share in common. May you have grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

to Titus, my own child according to [the] faith common [to us]: Grace and peace from God [the] Father, and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

5 The reason I left you in Crete was for you to organize what was still needed and to appoint elders in every town, as I told you.

For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest go on to set right what remained [unordered], and establish elders in each city, as I had ordered thee:

6 An elder must have a good reputation, the husband of one wife, and have children who believe and who are not accused of being wild or disobedient.

if any one be free from all charge [against him], husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of excess or unruly.

7 As a leader for God, a head elder must have a good reputation and not be arrogant. He should not have a quick temper nor get drunk; he shouldn't be violent or greedy for money.

For the overseer must be free from all charge [against him] as God's steward; not headstrong, not passionate, not disorderly through wine, not a striker, not seeking gain by base means;

8 He should be hospitable, someone who loves what's good and does what's right. He should be living a life for God, self-controlled,

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, discreet, just, pious, temperate,

9 and must be devoted to the trustworthy message as it's taught. In this way he can encourage others through correct teaching, and be able to convince those who disagree.

clinging to the faithful word according to the doctrine taught, that he may be able both to encourage with sound teaching and refute gainsayers.

10 For there are many rebels around who talk a lot of deceptive nonsense, especially from the circumcision group.

For there are many and disorderly vain speakers and deceivers of people's minds, specially those of [the] circumcision,

11 Their talking must stop, these people who throw whole families into turmoil, teaching things that aren't right for the sake of making money.

who must have their mouths stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which ought not [to be taught] for the sake of base gain.

12 As someone of their own people, a prophet, has stated, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts who are lazy, greedy people.”

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, has said, Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons.

13 This is a true statement! Consequently give them a good telling-off so that they can have a healthy trust in God,

This testimony is true; for which cause rebuke them severely, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and human commandments from those who deviate from the truth.

not turning [their] minds to Jewish fables and commandments of men turning away from the truth.

15 To those who have clean minds everything is clean, but to those who are corrupt and refuse to trust in God, nothing is clean—both their minds and their consciences are corrupt.

All things [are] pure to the pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing [is] pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

16 They claim to know God, but they prove this is false by what they do. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

They profess to know God, but in works deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and found worthless as to every good work.