| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, | 1This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. |
| 2in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began | 2This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. |
| 3and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; | 3And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him. |
| 4To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. | 4I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace. Titus’s Work in Crete |
| 5This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— | 5I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. |
| 6if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. | 6An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. |
| 7For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, | 7A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. |
| 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. | 8Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. |
| 9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. | 9He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong. |
| 10For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. | 10For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. |
| 11They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. | 11They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. |
| 12One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” | 12Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” |
| 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, | 13This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. |
| 14not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. | 14They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. |
| 15To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. | 15Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. |
| 16They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. | 16Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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