Titus 1

1 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,

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 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)

[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 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:

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 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.

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 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;

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 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.

[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 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,

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

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 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.

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

[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 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.

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

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

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

[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 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.

[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 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.

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!