Qualifications for Elders
5oThis is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and pappoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6qif anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,4 and his children are believers5 and not open to the charge of rdebauchery or insubordination. 7For an overseer,6 sas God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not tbe arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent uor greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, vand disciplined. 9He must whold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in xsound7 doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10For there are many who are insubordinate, yempty talkers and deceivers, especially those of zthe circumcision party.8 11They must be silenced, since athey are upsetting whole families by teaching bfor shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12cOne of the Cretans,9 a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”10 13This testimony is true. Therefore drebuke them esharply, that they fmay be sound in the faith, 14gnot devoting themselves to Jewish myths and hthe commands of people iwho turn away from the truth. 15jTo the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and kunbelieving, nothing is pure; but both ltheir minds and their consciences are defiled. 16mThey profess to know God, but they ndeny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, ounfit for any good work.
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