¹ Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, ² in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal; ³ but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour; ⁴ to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

⁵ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; ⁶ if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. ⁷ For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; ⁸ but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled; ⁹ holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.

¹⁰ For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. ¹² One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said,

¹³ This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. ¹⁵ To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.