Titus 1:6-16 ▼

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.

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

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

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

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

14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.

15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

16 They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.