Chapter 1
1 I, Paul, became a servant of God and also an apostle of Jesus Christ. God sent me to those whom He chose to believe in Him and to know the fullness of the truth that will teach them to live a holy life.
2 God never lies and always fulfills His promises. That is why we are confident that we will receive eternal life that God promised us before time began, and before He created this world.
3 At the right time I started preaching what our God and Savior revealed to me in His Word and entrusted to me to share with others.
4 Titus, my true son, I am writing to you, because we are united by our faith. Receive grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who became our Savior.
5 I left you on the island of Crete to finish the work I started. I gave you the task to appoint elders to oversee the church in every city where there are believers.
6 The leader of the church must be a man of excellent reputation. He must have one wife, and his children must believe in God. Then no one can accuse them of immorality or of rebelling against their parents’ authority.
7 A bishop who leads a church must understand that he is managing God’s house. That is why he must be without any fault so that he does not have to justify his behavior. Do not appoint any person who speaks harshly or acts arrogantly for this position. A bishop should not be hot-tempered or addicted to alcohol. He should not use physical violence or have a reputation for being greedy or putting money first.
8 Instead, a bishop should be hospitable and willing to help others. He should be a wise and just person who serves God faithfully. He should also be able to control his temper so that he does not lose control of his behavior.
9 A bishop must have strong faith in God’s Word according to the teaching we preach. Then he will be able to teach properly and encourage others. He will also be able to correct those who go against the truth.
10 Many people refuse to submit to true teaching. They engage in meaningless talk to mislead others. There are especially many people like this among the Jews who insist on circumcision as necessary for salvation.
11 We must not allow such people to teach others. They go from house to house and spread false teachings that destroy the faith of entire families. They shamelessly deceive others for their own benefit.
12 A poet from Crete said about his people, “The Cretans always tell lies. They are as aggressive as wild animals. They suffer from overeating and are exhausted from idleness.”
13 This poet accurately described the character of the Cretans. So correct them appropriately and treat them with all strictness so that they will become strong in faith.
14 They must stop listening to invented stories spread by some Jews. They must not follow the Jewish prohibitions and rules established by people who reject the truth.
15 If God has purified a person’s heart, he will be eager to live a holy life. But the one who does not believe in Christ defiles himself, because he thinks of sin and lives with an unclean conscience.
16 The Jews reject Christ, although they claim to know God. However their disgusting actions contradict what they say. They disobey God, and they are not able to do any good work.
Chapter 2
1 Titus, you should teach others to live according to the true teaching.
2 Elderly men should live soberly and behave honorably so that they can gain the respect of others. They should be self-controlled people who know how to manage their behavior. They should have strong faith in God, love others, and be patient.
3 Elderly women should also behave properly so that everyone can see that they belong to God’s holy people. They should not spread gossip or slander, and they should not be addicted to alcohol. Instead, they should teach others to do good.
4 They should teach younger women to love their husbands and children.
5 Elderly women should remind them to control their emotions and overcome their sinful habits. They should give advice on how to manage their homes. They should encourage younger women to be kind to their families. They should also remind young wives that they must submit to their husbands. Then no one will be able to say that the behavior of believers is not in accordance with what is written in God’s Word.
6 You should also teach young men to control themselves.
7 Do good works and always set an example of how to do what is right. Practice what you teach others and commit yourself fully to preaching God’s Word.
8 Make every effort to speak so accurately that no one can accuse or criticize you. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and will not be able to say anything bad about us.
9 You must also teach slaves to obey their masters. Slaves must do their duties responsibly and not argue with their masters.
10 Slaves must not steal. Instead, they must behave honestly so that their masters can trust them completely. In this way, slaves will be able to show how wonderful the teaching of our God and Savior is.
11 God gave us His grace which can save anyone.
12 This grace teaches us to believe in God and to do what is right. It also helps us reject the sinful pleasures of this world. By God’s grace we can behave wisely, live a holy life, and serve God faithfully in this world.
13 We look forward with full confidence to that blessed day when our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will reveal His glory.
14 Christ gave His life to set us free from all sins. He cleansed us and made us His special people who eagerly desire to do good works.
15 Remind believers of what I wrote and encourage them to do what is right. You also have the authority to correct others when they make mistakes. Do not let anyone treat you with contempt.
Chapter 3
1 Also remind believers to submit to the government and obey authorities. Tell them that we should always be ready to do good deeds.
2 Believers should not insult others. Instead, teach them to avoid conflicts and quarrels. They should be friendly and communicate politely and calmly with everyone.
3 In the past we acted foolishly and disobeyed God. We chose the wrong path in life and were slaves to lustful desires and all kinds of pleasures. We were filled with anger and envy towards one another. People hated us, and we hated them.
4 But our God and Savior showed us His love and kindness.
5 He did not save us because we did what was right. Instead, God saved us because of His mercy. He washed us from our sins and gave us new life through the Holy Spirit.
6 And because of what our Savior Jesus Christ did, God poured out the Holy Spirit on us in great abundance.
7 Through His grace God set us free from sin and gave us His righteousness. He gave us the hope that we will inherit eternal life.
8 What I have written is true. I want you to preach it with full confidence. Then those who believe in God will be eager to devote themselves to good works, because everyone finds joy in helping others.
9 Avoid foolish arguments about genealogies and do not quarrel over disagreements concerning the Law of Moses. Such discussions are meaningless and bring no benefit.
10 If there is a person among you who causes division, speak to him once and then warn him a second time. If he does not listen, avoid all communication with him.
11 You should know that such a person has turned away from the truth. He lives in sin and brings condemnation on himself through his wrong actions.
12 I plan to send Artemas or Tychicus to you. When one of them arrives, try to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the entire winter there.
13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos prepare for their trip. Make sure that they lack nothing.
14 Our believers should also learn to do good deeds and help those in need to provide them with all necessary provisions. In this way, they will not live their lives in vain.
15 Everyone who is here with me sends his greetings to you. Please, pass on our greetings to all our friends with whom we are united in faith and love. Live in the grace of the Lord. Amen.