TITUS

Chapter 1

¹ Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God and the acknowledging of the truth, which is according to godliness:

² Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who lieth not, hath promised before the times of the world:

³ But hath in due times manifested his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour:

⁴ To Titus, my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Saviour.

⁵ For this cause I left thee in Crete: that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

⁶ If any be without crime, the husband of one wife. having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly.

⁷ For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not subject to anger, nor given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre:

⁸ But given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent:

⁹ Embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers.

¹⁰ For there are also many disobedient, vain talkers and seducers: especially they who are of the circumcision.

¹¹ Who must be reproved, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

¹² One of them a prophet of their own, said: The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slothful bellies.

¹³ This testimony is true. Wherefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith:

¹⁴ Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn themselves away from the truth.

¹⁵ All things are clean to the clean: but to them that are defiled and to unbelievers, nothing is clean: but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

¹⁶ They profess that they know God: but in their works they deny him: being abominable and incredulous and to every good work reprobate.

Chapter 2

¹ But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine:

² That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.

³ The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well:

⁴ That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children.

⁵ To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands: that the word of God be not blasphemed.

⁶ Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober.

⁷ In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity,

⁸ The sound word that can not be blamed: that he who is on the contrary part may be afraid, having no evil to say of us.

⁹ Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters: in all things pleasing, not gainsaying:

¹⁰ Not defrauding, but in all things shewing good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

¹¹ For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men:

¹² Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in this world,

¹³ Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

¹⁴ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works.

¹⁵ These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Chapter 3

¹ Admonish them to be subject to princes and powers, to obey at a word, to be ready to every good work.

² To speak evil of no man, not to be litigious but gentle: shewing all mildness towards all men.

³ For we ourselves also were some time unwise, incredulous, erring, slaves to divers desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

⁴ But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared:

⁵ Not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost.

⁶ Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour:

⁷ That, being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to hope of life everlasting.

⁸ It is a faithful saying. And these things I will have thee affirm constantly, that they who believe in God may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

⁹ But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.

¹⁰ A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid:

¹¹ Knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.

¹² When I shall send to thee Artemas or Tychicus, make haste to come unto me to Nicopolis. For there I have determined to winter.

¹³ Send forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollo, with care that nothing be wanting to them.

¹⁴ And let our men also learn to excel in good works for necessary uses: that they be not unfruitful.

¹⁵ All that are with me salute thee. Salute them that love us in the faith. The grace of God be with you all. Amen.