Titus 1

Greeting

¹From Paul, a servant of Theos and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I was sent to lead Theos’s chosen people to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to a godly life. ²My message is based on the confidence of eternal life. Theos, who never lies, promised this eternal life before the world began. ³Theos has revealed this in every era by spreading his word. I was entrusted with this word by the command of Theos our Savior.

⁴To Titus, a genuine child in the faith we share.

Good will  (Or “Grace.”) and peace from Theos the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior are yours!

Guidelines for Leaders in the Church

⁵I left you in Crete to do what still needed to be done—appointing spiritual leaders  (Or “pastors,” or “elders.”) in every city as I directed you. ⁶A spiritual leader must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife and have children who are believers. His children shouldn’t be known for having wild lifestyles or being rebellious. ⁷Because a bishop is a supervisor appointed by Theos, he must have a good reputation. He must not be a stubborn or irritable person. He must not drink too much or be a violent person. He must not use shameful ways to make money. ⁸Instead, he must be hospitable, love what is good, use good judgment, be fair and moral, and have self-control. ⁹He must be devoted to the trustworthy message we teach. Then he can use these accurate teachings to encourage people and correct those who oppose the word.

Correct Whoever Teaches What Is Wrong

¹⁰There are many believers, especially converts from Judaism, who are rebellious. They speak nonsense and deceive people. ¹¹They must be silenced because they are ruining whole families by teaching what they shouldn’t teach. This is the shameful way they make money.

¹²Even one of their own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, savage animals, and lazy gluttons.” ¹³That statement is true. For this reason, sharply correct believers so that they continue to have faith that is alive and well. ¹⁴They shouldn’t pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who are always rejecting the truth. ¹⁵Everything is clean  (“Clean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to Theos.) to those who are clean. But nothing is clean to corrupt unbelievers. Indeed, their minds and their consciences are corrupted. ¹⁶They claim to know Theos, but they deny him by what they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do anything good.

Titus 2

Guidelines for Christian Living

¹Tell believers to live the kind of life that goes along with accurate teachings. ²Tell older men to be sober. Tell them to be men of good character, to use good judgment, and to be well-grounded in faith, love, and endurance.

³Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to Theos. Tell them not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of virtue. ⁴In this way they will teach young women to show love to their husbands and children, ⁵to use good judgment, and to be morally pure. Also, tell them to teach young women to be homemakers, to be kind, and to place themselves under their husbands’ authority. Then no one can speak evil of Theos’s word.

⁶Encourage young men to use good judgment. ⁷Always set an example by doing good things. When you teach, be an example of moral purity and dignity. ⁸Speak an accurate message that cannot be condemned. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed because they cannot say anything bad about us.

⁹Tell slaves who are believers to place themselves under their masters’ authority in everything they do. Tell them to please their masters, not to argue with them ¹⁰or steal from them. Instead, tell slaves to show their masters how good and completely loyal they can be. Then they will show the beauty of the teachings about Theos our Savior in everything they do.

¹¹After all, Theos’s saving kindness  (Or “grace.”) has appeared for the benefit of all people. ¹²It trains us to avoid ungodly lives filled with worldly desires so that we can live self-controlled, moral, and godly lives in this present world. ¹³At the same time we can expect what we hope for—the appearance of the glory of our great Theos and Savior, Jesus Christ. ¹⁴He gave himself for us to set us free from every sin and to cleanse us so that we can be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good things.

¹⁵Tell these things to the believers. Encourage and correct them, using your full authority. Don’t let anyone ignore you.