Paulus, God's slave, but an envoy of Anointed Jesus, according to the trust of God's chosen ones and a recognition of that truth according to piety, on a hope of eternal life which God (who is not false) promised before the times of the ages. Now he displayed his message in his own seasons, in a heralding with which I was entrusted, according to the arrangement of our savior, God.
To Titus, a genuine child according to a shared trust. Generosity and peace from Father God and Lord Anointed Jesus our savior.
1:5 I left you in Krete for this reason: so that you might put in order the things that were left behind, and set older people into place according to city as I arranged with you.
"If someone is blameless--a man of one woman, having trusting children; not under an accusation of being imprudent or disorderly."
For it is necessary that the overseer be blameless, as though he were God's house-servant--not self-pleasing, not ruled by emotion, not a drunkard, not one who strikes others, not greedy for shameful financial profit; but a friend to strangers, a friend of goodness, prudent, just, godly, self-controlled, holding fast the true message according to the teaching (so that he may be able both to advise in that sound teaching and to refute those who speak in opposition).
For there are many disorderly people, those who say useless things and who deceive the mind--especially those of the circumcision. It is necessary to stifle these ones, who overturn entire households, teaching unnecessary things for the favor of dishonest financial profit. A certain one of their own, a prophet, said, "Kretans are always liars, malevolent wild animals, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true.
13 For this reason, refute them sharply, so that they may be solid in the faith, not holding on to Jewish fables and precepts of human beings who are turning away from the truth.
15 All things are clean indeed to those who are clean. But to those who have been defiled and are untrusting, nothing is clean. On the contrary, both their minds and their consciences have been defiled. They acknowledge to have known God, but they deny him with their deeds, since they are detestable and unpersuaded, and worthless as to every good deed.
2:1 But you say the things that are appropriate to the sound teaching:
That aged men should be vigilant; serious; prudent; sound in trust, in love, in patience.
3 In the same way, aged women should be in their standing as is proper for sacred people. They should not be accusers; not enslaved to a lot of wine; good teachers, so that they may foster prudence in the young women. They should be lovers of men, lovers of children, prudent, pure, busy at home, good, submissive toward their own husbands (so that God's message will not be spoken evil of).
6 In the same way, advise the younger ones to be prudent, furthering in yourself a type in all things of nice deeds--in the teaching having a lack of corruption, a seriousness, and a healthy and irrefutable message, so that the one who is of the contrary group might be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.
9 Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in all things. They are to be well-pleasing: not speaking against their masters, not burglarizing, but showing all good trust, so that in all things they may adorn the teaching--that of our savior, God.
For God's saving generosity appeared to all people, instructing us so that we might live prudently and justly and piously in the present age, denying the impiety and the kosmic strong desires, expecting the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God and our savior, Anointed Jesus, who gave himself on our behalf so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and cleanse us to be for himself a people for his own possession, jealous of good deeds.
Speak and advise and refute after all arrangement. Let no one have a bad attitude about you.
3:1 Remind them to be submissive to and persuaded by rulers and authorities, to be ready toward every good deed, to speak evil of no one. They should be ones who do not fight, reasonable, displaying all meekness toward all people.
For once we too were mindless, unpersuaded, wanderers, enslaved to strong desires and various pleasures, passing through in badness and envy, despisers, hating one another.
But when God our savior's ease and love for humanity appeared, he saved us (not out of right deeds that we did, but according to his mercy) through the washing, regeneration, and renewing of the holy breath, which he poured out on us richly on account of Anointed Jesus our savior, so that we would become heirs according to a hope of eternal life, being justified by that one's generosity.
8 This statement is reliable, and I want you to confirm fully about these things, so that: "those who have trusted in God may have the attitude to be an example of good deeds."
These things are good and profitable to people, but avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and strife, and legal fights. For they are unprofitable and useless.
Get away from a sectarian person after admonishing him a first and a second time, knowing that such a person has been turned away and is sinning, being self-condemned.
12 When I send Artemas or Tuchikos to you, try hard to come to me in Nikopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos ahead of you, diligently, so that they may leave nothing behind. Now let our people learn also to be an example of good deeds for these pressing needs, so that they would not be unfruitful.
You greet all those who are not with me. Greet those who love us in trust. Generosity be with all of you. Back to the NET Contents Page