Greeting and Apostolic Mission
Study note
Paul introduces himself as a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, whose mission is to strengthen the faith of God's chosen people and lead them to the truth that produces godliness. This faith is anchored in the hope of eternal life promised by God, who cannot lie, before the ages began and revealed at the proper time through preaching. Paul greets Titus as his true son in their shared faith, extending grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus the Savior.
1 From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. My job is to help God's chosen people grow stronger in their faith and to lead them to the truth that teaches them how to live for God. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 This faith is all built on the hope of eternal life. God, who never lies, made this promise before the world even began. In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 Then, at just the right time, he made his message known through preaching. God our Savior gave me this job to do. But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4 I am writing to Titus, who is like a true son to me because we share the same faith. May grace, mercy, and peace come to you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Qualifications for Elders
Study note
Paul reminds Titus that he was left in Crete specifically to set things in order and appoint elders in every city. The qualifications parallel those in 1 Timothy: an elder must be blameless, faithful in marriage, with believing children who are not accused of wild behavior. As God's steward, he must not be arrogant, hot-tempered, addicted to wine, violent, or greedy. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message so he can both encourage with sound teaching and refute those who oppose it.
5 The reason I left you behind in Crete was so you could finish organizing things that still needed attention. I also wanted you to put church elders in place in every town, just like I told you. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 An elder must be someone nobody can point a finger at. He must be a one-woman man, and his children must be believers who are not known for being wild or refusing to obey. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 Since an overseer is in charge of God's household, nobody should be able to find real fault in him. He must not be full of himself, not quick to blow up, not a heavy drinker, not a bully, and not out to make money in shady ways. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 Instead, he should gladly open his home to others. He should love what is good, use good sense, and do what is fair. He should live a holy life and keep himself under control. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 He must have a tight grip on the trustworthy message he was taught. That way he can use sound teaching to build others up and also prove wrong the people who argue against it. Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Rebuking False Teachers
Study note
Many on Crete, particularly from the circumcision group, were rebellious, spreading deceptive empty talk that was ruining entire households for shameful financial gain. Paul quotes a Cretan prophet's own assessment of his people as liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons, affirming its truth. Titus must rebuke them sharply so they become sound in faith, rejecting Jewish myths and human commands from those who have turned from the truth. Paul concludes with a penetrating principle: to the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled nothing is pure. Those who claim to know God but deny him by their actions are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
10 You see, there are many people out there who refuse to listen, who talk a lot but say nothing useful, and who lead others the wrong way. This is especially common among those from a Jewish background. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 You need to stop them. They are ruining whole families by teaching things they should not teach. They do it all to make money in a dishonest way. Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of their very own prophets once said, "People from Crete always lie, are like vicious animals, and are lazy overeaters." One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 And that description is accurate. So confront them firmly so their faith will be healthy and strong. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14 They need to stop paying attention to Jewish myths and rules made up by people who turned away from the truth. Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15 For people who have clean hearts, everything is clean. But for people who are corrupt and refuse to believe, nothing is clean -- even the way they think and the voice of their conscience has been polluted. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They say they know God, but the way they live tells a completely different story. They are disgusting, they will not obey, and they are worthless when it comes to doing anything good. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.