Letters to the Churches

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God and the acknowledging of the truth, which is according to godliness:

Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who lieth not, hath promised before the times of the world:

But hath in due times manifested his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour:

To Titus, my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Saviour.

For this cause I left thee in Crete: that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

If any be without crime, the husband of one wife. having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly.

For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not subject to anger, nor given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre:

But given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent:

Embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers.

For there are also many disobedient, vain talkers and seducers: especially they who are of the circumcision.

Who must be reproved, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

One of them a prophet of their own, said: The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slothful bellies.

This testimony is true. Wherefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith:

Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn themselves away from the truth.

All things are clean to the clean: but to them that are defiled and to unbelievers, nothing is clean: but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

They profess that they know God: but in their works they deny him: being abominable and incredulous and to every good work reprobate.

But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine:

That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.

The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well:

That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children.

To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands: that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober.

In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity,

The sound word that can not be blamed: that he who is on the contrary part may be afraid, having no evil to say of us.

Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters: in all things pleasing, not gainsaying: