Titus 1 - Appointing Elders and the Cretans Rebuked
Paul instructs Titus to ordain qualified elders and rebuke the false teachers troubling Crete.
In this opening chapter of Titus overview, Paul explains why he left Titus behind in Crete, so he could set the church in order and ordain elders in every city who are blameless, hospitable, and able to teach sound doctrine. He contrasts these qualified leaders with the many unruly deceivers already troubling households there for dishonest gain.
Paul, a servant of God—an apostle moreover of Jesus Christ,—according to the faith of the chosen ones of God, and the personal knowledge of the truth that is according to godliness,—
In hope of life age-abiding; which God, who cannot lie, promised before age-during times,
but hath manifested in its fitting seasons, even his word, in the proclamation with which entrusted am I—by injunction of our Saviour God:
Unto Titus, my true child according to a common faith,—favour and peace, from God [our] Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that, the things remaining undone, thou mightest completely set in order, and mightest establish, in every city, elders, as, I, with thee arranged:—
If anyone is unaccusable, a husband of, one wife, having children that believe, who are not charged with riotous excess, nor insubordinate;
For it is needful that the overseer be—unaccusable, as God’s steward, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not ready to wound, not seeking gain by base means,
But hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, kind, possessing self-control,
Holding fast, in the matter of his teaching, the faithful word, that he may be able both to encourage with his healthful instruction, and, the gainsayers, to refute.
For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision,—
Whose mouths must needs be stopped, men who are upsetting whole houses, teaching the things which ought not [to be taught] —for the sake of base gain.
Said one from among them, a prophet, of their own!—Cretans! always false, mischievous wild-beasts, idle gluttons:
This witness, is true,—for which cause, be reproving them sharply, that they may be healthy in their faith,
Not giving heed to Judaical stories and commandments of men who are turning away from the truth:
All things, are pure, unto the pure, but, unto the polluted and faithless, nothing, is pure, but polluted are both their mind and conscience;
God, they confess that they know, but, by their works, they deny him, being, abominable, and obdurate, and, as to any good work, found, worthless.