ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, a servant [1] of God and a an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and b their knowledge of the truth, c which accords with godliness, 2 d in hope of eternal life, which God, e who never lies, f promised g before the ages began [2] 3 and h at the proper time manifested in his word i through the preaching j with which I have been entrusted k by the command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, l my true child in m a common faith:

n Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications for Elders

5 o This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and p appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 q if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, [3] and his children are believers and not open to the charge of r debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, [4] s as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not t be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent u or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, v and disciplined. 9 He must w hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in x sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, y empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of z the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since a they are upsetting whole families by teaching b for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 c One of the Cretans, [6] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” [7] 13 This testimony is true. Therefore d rebuke them e sharply, that they f may be sound in the faith, 14 g not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and h the commands of people i who turn away from the truth. 15 j To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and k unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both l their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 m They profess to know God, but they n deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, o unfit for any good work.