Letters to the Churches

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.

Tychicus, however, I have sent to Ephesus.

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

You too should beware of him, for he has vigorously opposed our message.

At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.

Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.

Make every effort to come to me before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.

To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.

Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.

For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,

who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.

As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith