Titus 1

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's chosen people and the knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness,

Paul, a bondservant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ for building up the faith of God's own people and spreading a full knowledge of the truths of religion,

2 with the certain hope of everlasting life that God, who does not lie, promised before all the ages of time. (aiōnios g166)

in hope of the Life of the Ages which God, who is never false to His word, promised before the commencement of the Ages. (aiōnios g166)

3 At the right time, he revealed his word by the message that he trusted me to deliver. I was to do this by the command of God our savior.

And at the appointed time He clearly made known His Message in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Saviour:

4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

To Titus my own true child in our common faith. May grace and peace be granted to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

5 For this purpose I left you in Crete, that you might set in order things not yet complete and ordain elders in every city as I directed you.

I have left you behind in Crete in order that you may set right the things which still require attention, and appoint Elders in every town, as I directed you to do;

6 An elder must be without blame, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who do not have the reputation of being reckless or undisciplined.

wherever there is a man of blameless life, true to his one wife, having children who are themselves believers and are free from every reproach of profligacy or of stubborn self-will.

7 It is necessary for the overseer, as God's household manager, to be blameless. He must not be arrogant, not be easily angered, not addicted to wine, not a brawler, and not a greedy man.

For, as God's steward, a minister must be of blameless life, not over-fond of having his own way, not a man of a passionate temper nor a hard drinker, not given to blows nor greedy of gain,

8 Instead, he should be hospitable and a friend of what is good. He must be sensible, righteous, godly, and self-controlled.

but hospitable to strangers, a lover of goodness, sober-minded, upright, saintly, self-controlled;

9 He should hold tightly to the trustworthy message that was taught, so that he may be able to encourage others with good teaching and correct those who oppose him.

holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received, so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.

10 For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision.

For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.

11 It is necessary to stop them. They are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful profit what they should not teach.

You must stop the mouths of such men, for they overthrow the faith of whole families, teaching what they ought not, just for the sake of making money.

12 One of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

One of their own number--a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs--has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, idle gluttons."

13 This statement is true. Therefore, correct them severely, so that they may be sound in the faith,

This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them, that they may be robust in their faith,

14 not paying any attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men who turn their backs on the truth.

15 To those who are pure, all things are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and their consciences have been corrupted.

To the pure everything is pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving nothing is pure, but on the contrary their very minds and consciences are polluted.

16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing any good work.

They profess to know God; but in their actions they disown Him, and are detestable and disobedient men, and for any good work are utterly useless.