Chapter 1

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God, and (or, that is,) the knowledge of that truth which is according to godliness;

2 In the hope (or, on account of the hope) of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before eternal ages,

3 but hath manifested in his own times his word (or, by his word,) in the preaching which hath been committed to me, according to the appointment of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my own son, according to the common faith, grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 For this reason I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest continue to correct those things which are still wanting,¹ and mightst ordain presbyters² in each city, as I appointed thee:

6 If any one is blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of licentiousness, not disobedient.

7 For a bishop ought to be blameless, as a governor of the house of God; not self-willed, not passionate, not given to wine, not a striker, not wickedly desirous of gain;

9 Holding fast the faithful word, which is according to instruction, that he maybe able both to exhort by sound doctrine, and to convince adversaries.

10 For there are many unruly,³ and vain talkers, and deceivers of minds' chiefly they who are of the circumcision;

11 Whose month must be stopped, who overturn whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.

13 This testimony is true; wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 And may not give heed to Jewish fables, and to commandments of men who turn aside from the truth.

15 To the pure all things indeed are pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving nothing is pure, but their mind and conscience are polluted.

16 They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him; for they are abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate.

¹ "La cause pourquoy je tay laisse en Crete, c'est afin que tu poursuyves de corriger les choses qui restent." "The reason why I left thee in Crete, is in order that thou mayest continue to correct the things that are wanting."

² "Des prestres, ou anciens." "Presbyters, or elders."

³ "Car il y en a plusieurs qui ne se peuvent ranger" "For there are many of them who cannot submit to authority."