Chapter 1

  Paul, a bondservant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ for building up the faith of God's own people and spreading a full knowledge of the truths of religion,

  in hope of the Life of the Ages which God, who is never false to His word, promised before the commencement of the Ages.

  And at the appointed time He clearly made known His Message in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Saviour:

  To Titus my own true child in our common faith. May grace and peace be granted to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

  I have left you behind in Crete in order that you may set right the things which still require attention, and appoint Elders in every town, as I directed you to do;

  wherever there is a man of blameless life, true to his one wife, having children who are themselves believers and are free from every reproach of profligacy or of stubborn self-will.

  For, as God's steward, a minister must be of blameless life, not over-fond of having his own way, not a man of a passionate temper nor a hard drinker, not given to blows nor greedy of gain,

  but hospitable to strangers, a lover of goodness, sober-minded, upright, saintly, self-controlled;

  holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received, so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.

  For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.

  You must stop the mouths of such men, for they overthrow the faith of whole families, teaching what they ought not, just for the sake of making money.

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

  This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them, that they may be robust in their faith,

  and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men who turn their backs on the truth.

  To the pure everything is pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving nothing is pure, but on the contrary their very minds and consciences are polluted.

  They profess to know God; but in their actions they disown Him, and are detestable and disobedient men, and for any good work are utterly useless.