1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before time began; 3 in his own time he revealed his word through the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior; 4 to Titus, my true child in our common faith: * Grace, mercy, 91.3% ¦ Grace CT 4.2%Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and † the Lord Jesus Christ ¦ Christ Jesus CTthe Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 The reason I left yoʋ in Crete was for yoʋ to put in order what remained to be done and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed yoʋ. 6 An elder must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who are not rebellious and cannot be accused of debauchery. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, just, holy, and self-controlled, 9 holding firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others with sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it.

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision faction. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining entire households by teaching what they ought not to teach, for the sake of sordid gain. 12 One of their very own prophets said,