Titus 1:12 As one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

◄ Titus 1:12 ►

New International Version
One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”

New Living Translation
Even 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.”

English Standard Version
One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

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

Berean Literal Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

King James Bible
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

New King James Version
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

New American Standard Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

NASB 1995
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

NASB 1977
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Legacy Standard Bible
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Amplified Bible
One of them [Epimenides, a Cretan], a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Christian Standard Bible
One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
One of their very own prophets said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.

American Standard Version
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.

Contemporary English Version
It is like one of their own prophets once said, "The people of Crete always tell lies. They are greedy and lazy like wild animals."

English Revised Version
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are alway liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even one of their own prophets said, "Cretans are always liars, savage animals, and lazy gluttons."

International Standard Version
One of their very own prophets said, "Liars ever, men of Crete, savage brutes that live to eat."

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

NET Bible
A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

New Heart English Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons."

Webster's Bible Translation
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

Weymouth New Testament
One of their own number--a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs--has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, idle gluttons."

World English Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans! Always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies!”

Berean Literal Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

Young's Literal Translation
A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said -- 'Cretans! always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies!'

Smith's Literal Translation
A certain of them said, their own prophet, The Cretians always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
One of them a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slothful bellies.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A certain one of these, a prophet of their own kind, said: “The Cretans are ever liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

New American Bible
One of them, a prophet of their own, once said, “Cretans have always been liars, vicious beasts, and lazy gluttons.”

New Revised Standard Version
It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, “Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
One of them, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cre’tians are always liars, vicious beasts with empty bellies.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
One man among them, their own Prophet said, “The children of Crete are always liars, wicked beasts and idle bellies.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, has said: The Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons.

Godbey New Testament
A certain one of them, their own prophet, said, The Cretans are all liars, evil beasts, slow stomachs.

Haweis New Testament
One of them, a poet of their own nation, hath said, The Cretans are always liars, wicked beasts, slothful gluttons.

Mace New Testament
one of their own prophets said, "the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies."

Weymouth New Testament
One of their own number--a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs--has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, idle gluttons."

Worrell New Testament
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always false, evil beasts, idle gluttons."

Worsley New Testament
as said one of themselves, a prophet of their own, "The Cretans are always liars, mischievous beasts, sluggish gluttons."

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Correcting False Teachers
…11who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not. 12As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Acts 17:28
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

2 Timothy 3:2-4
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, / traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Romans 3:13-14
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” / “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

2 Peter 2:12
These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.

Philippians 3:19
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

Ephesians 4:17-19
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. / They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. / Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

Colossians 3:5-8
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. / Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. / When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. ...

1 Peter 4:3
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.

Isaiah 56:10-12
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: / “Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”

Jeremiah 9:3-6
“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. / “Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander. / Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity. ...

Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Psalm 14:1-3
For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. / The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. / All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Micah 7:2-4
The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net. / Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together. / The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day for your watchmen has come, the day of your visitation. Now is the time of their confusion.

Treasury of Scripture

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

of.

Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

liars.

Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

1 Timothy 4:2
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2 Peter 2:12,15
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; …

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Titus 1

1. Paul greets Titus, who was left to finish the work in Crete.
6. How those chosen as ministers ought to be qualified.
11. The mouths of evil teachers to be stopped;
12. and what manner of men they be.

Berean Study Bible

One of Crete’s own prophets
This phrase refers to Epimenides, a 6th-century BC philosopher and poet from Crete, who was considered a prophet by his people. The use of "prophets" here is intriguing, as it suggests that even non-biblical figures can sometimes speak truth that aligns with biblical principles. In a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the sovereignty of God in using various means to convey truth, even through those outside the covenant community. It also underscores the importance of discernment in evaluating truth claims, regardless of their source.

has said
The phrase "has said" indicates a past statement that holds relevance in the present context. This suggests that the character of the Cretans, as described by their own prophet, was a long-standing issue. In a broader biblical context, this reflects the enduring nature of human sinfulness and the need for redemption. The use of a past statement to address a current issue also emphasizes the timelessness of truth and the importance of historical awareness in understanding present circumstances.

Cretans are always liars
This part of the verse is a direct quote from Epimenides and is famously known as the "Epimenides Paradox." The paradox arises because if a Cretan says all Cretans are liars, it calls into question the truthfulness of the statement itself. However, in the context of Titus, Paul uses this cultural stereotype to address the challenges Titus faces in Crete. From a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the pervasive nature of sin and deceit in human society, and the need for the transformative power of the Gospel to bring about truth and integrity.

evil beasts
The term "evil beasts" paints a vivid picture of the moral and ethical depravity attributed to the Cretans. In the ancient world, beasts were often seen as untamed and dangerous, and this metaphor suggests a lack of self-control and a propensity for destructive behavior. For the Christian reader, this serves as a reminder of the fallen nature of humanity and the necessity of divine intervention to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit, such as self-control and goodness.

lazy gluttons
This phrase criticizes the Cretans for their lack of discipline and indulgence in excess. Gluttony, in biblical terms, is often associated with a lack of spiritual focus and an overemphasis on physical desires. The term "lazy" further compounds this by suggesting an unwillingness to work or strive for improvement. In a conservative Christian context, this serves as a caution against the dangers of complacency and the importance of diligence and moderation as virtues that reflect a life transformed by Christ.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said.--St. Paul had spoken (Titus 1:10-11) in the severest terms of certain influential members of the Cretan Church; he had even alluded to their disastrous teaching ruining whole families, evidently implying that he had perceived among the Cretans a readiness to welcome a teaching which countenanced a laxer moral tone, the invariable result of perverted doctrine; and now he supports his own condemning words by a reference to a well-known Cretan poet--to one who, according to tradition, was even honoured by them as a god. The verse quoted is an hexameter, written by the famous Epimenides, of Gnossus, in Crete. He flourished some 600 years B.C., and is said to have lived to the strange age of 150 years or more. He appears to have deserved the title of prophet in its fullest sense--Plato speaking of him as a "divine man," and Cicero coupling him with the Erythaean Sibyl. The first three words were well known, and even used by Callimachus in his hymn to Zeus, "Cretans always liars." St. Paul's knowledge of the poem where the verse occurs is one of the several instances which we meet with in his writings indicating his familiarity with profane literature. The quotation, occurring as it does in the midst of an inspired writing, was the occasion of Calvin's wise, brave words, which style those who decline to avail themselves of the learning and research of profane writers as superstitious. Nothing wise and learned, he says, should be rejected, even though it proceed "ab impiis."

The Cretians are alway liars.--This terrible estimate of the national Cretan character is amply borne out by the testimony of many profane writers, such as Callimachus, Plato, Polybius, Ovid, &c. The very word "to Cretize" (kretizein), or to play the part of a Cretan, was invented as a word synonymous with "to deceive," "to utter a lie;" just as corinthiazein. "to play the part of a Corinthian," signified to commit a still darker moral offence. Some writers suggest that this despicable vice of lying was received as a bequest from the early Ph?nician colonists.

Evil beasts.--These words refer to their wild, fierce nature, their ferocity, their love of cruelty.

Slow bellies.--Rather, idle bellies. These terms paint with sharp accuracy another of the evil characteristics of the Cretan peoples--their dull gluttony, their slothful sensuality. The words are used especially of those who, by indulging their bodily appetites, become corpulent and indolent.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - A prophet for even a prophet, A.V.; Cretan, s for the Cretinous, A.V.; idle gluttons for slow bellies, A.V. A prophet of their own; viz. Epimenides, a native either of Phaestus or of Cnossus in Crete, the original author of this line, which is also quoted by Callimachus. Epimenides is here called a prophet, not simply as a poet, but from his peculiar character as priest, bard, and seer; called by Plato θεῖος ἀνήρ, and coupled by Cicero with Bacis the B.C.eotian prophet, and the sibyl (Bishop Ellicott); described by other ancient writers as a prophet (Alford); "everything we hear of him is of a priestly or religious nature" ('Dict. of Gr. and Romans Biogr. and Mythol.'). Cretans are always liars, etc. So truly was this their characteristic, that κρητίζειν was used to denote" telling lies" - "to lie like a Cretan" (Plutarch, etc.). From their general bad character arose the line, Κρῆτες Καππάδοκοι, Κίλικες τρία κάππα κάκιστα; and Livy, Polybius, and Plutarch alike hear witness to their covetousness and dishonesty: Τις Κρητῶν οἴδε δικαιοσύνην; "When was there ever an upright Cretan?" asks Leonides in an ' Epigram' (Farrar, ' St. Paul,' vol. it. p. 534). Evil beasts. Θήριον is "a wild beast;" applied to men as a term of reproach (1 Corinthians 15:32), it implies brutality, stupidity, unreasonableness, and, with the epithet κακά, mischief, like the French mechante bete. The 'Epigram' above quoted calls them ληισταὶ καὶ ἁλιφθόροι, "pirates and wreckers." Idle gluttons; literally, idle bellies. The substantive denotes their gluttony and sensuality (comp. Romans 16:18; Philippians 3:19, where κοιλία is equivalent to γαστήρ), and the adjective their sloth (ἀργαί, i.e. ἀεργαί); in old Greek it is usually of the common gender.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

[As] one
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

of
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

own
ἴδιος (idios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

prophets
προφήτης (prophētēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.

has said,
εἶπέν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“Cretans
Κρῆτες (Krētes)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2912: A Cretan, an inhabitant of Crete. From Krete; a Cretan, i.e. Inhabitant of Crete.

[are] always
ἀεὶ (aei)
Adverb
Strong's 104: From an obsolete primary noun; 'ever, 'by qualification regularly; by implication, earnestly.

liars,
ψεῦσται (pseustai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5583: A liar, deceiver. From pseudomai; a falsifier.

evil
κακὰ (kaka)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2556: Bad, evil, in the widest sense. Apparently a primary word; worthless, i.e. depraved, or injurious.

beasts,
θηρία (thēria)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2342: Properly: a wild beast, hence: any animal; met: a brute. Diminutive from the same as thera; a dangerous animal.

lazy
ἀργαί (argai)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 692: Idle, lazy, thoughtless, unprofitable, injurious. (by implication) lazy, useless.

gluttons.”
γαστέρες (gasteres)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1064: The stomach; by analogy, the matrix; figuratively, a gourmand.

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NT Letters: Titus 1:12 One of them a prophet of their (Ti. Tt.)