1Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and full true knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2in hope of eternal life which God, who is without lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3but has in due time proclaimed His Word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; 4to Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. 5For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I assigned you: 6If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of loose behavior or disobedience. 7For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for money, 8but hospitable, a lover of what is good, of a sound mind, just, holy, self-controlled, 9holding fast the faithful Word according to the teaching, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. 10For there are many insubordinate, idle talkers and seducers, especially those of the circumcision, 11whose mouths must be stopped, who overturn whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14not giving heed to Jewish myths and commandments of men that turn away from the truth. 15To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and reprobate with regard to every good work.