Titus 1:1-9 ▼

1 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,

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

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

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

5 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.

6 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.

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

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

9 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.