1 To Titus, my true son in a common faith, from Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of Gods elect, and to the knowledge of the truth which goes with piety;

2 I write in hope of life eternal which God who never lies, promised before times eternal,

3 but manifested in his own time; that word of his in proclaiming which I have been entrusted by command of God our Saviour.

4 Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

5 I left you in Crete for this reason, that you might set right the things left unfinished, and appoint presbyters in every city as I had instructed you;

6 men who are blameless, the husband of one wife, with believing children who are not accused of riot or insubordination.

7 For indeed a presiding officer, as Gods steward, ought to be blameless, not self-willed or quick-tempered, not a drunkard or violent, or greedy of filthy lucre;

8 but he must be hospitable, a lover of the good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled.

9 He must hold to the faithful word according to the teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage by sound teaching, and to confute our opponents.

10 For there are many individuals who are unruly, empty talkers and deceivers, particularly those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped;

11 for they upset whole households and, for filthy lucres sake, teach what they ought not to teach.

12 By one of their own number, by a prophet of their own, it has been said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons."

13 This testimony is true. So rebuke them sharply,

14 so as to make them sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

15 All things are pure to the pure; but to the contaminated and the faithless nothing is pure, nay, their very minds and consciences are tainted.

16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they disown him; in that they are detestable, disobedient, and reprobate for good work of any sort.