Greeting
1Paul, a servant1 of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began2 3and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
4To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Qualifications for Elders
5This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—6if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,3 and his children are believers4 and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7For an overseer,5 as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound6 doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.7 11They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12One of the Cretans,8 a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”9 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Footnotes
- 1 1:1 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
- 2 1:2 Greek before times eternal
- 3 1:6 Or a man of one woman
- 4 1:6 Or are faithful
- 5 1:7 Or bishop; Greek episkopos
- 6 1:9 Or healthy; also verse 13
- 7 1:10 Or especially those of the circumcision
- 8 1:12 Greek One of them
- 9 1:12 Probably from Epimenides of Crete
Truth Tightly Packed — Part One
Titus 1:1–4 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 37:58 • ID: 2867
Truth Tightly Packed — Part Two
Titus 1:1–4 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 33:57 • ID: 2868
Teach Sound Doctrine
1But as for you, teach what accords with sound1 doctrine. 2Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9Bondservants2 are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
15Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Teaching That Accords with Sound Doctrine — Part One
Titus 2:4–10 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 40:22 • ID: 2874
Teaching That Accords with Sound Doctrine — Part Two
Titus 2:11–15 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 23:25 • ID: 2878
“As for You, Titus…”
Titus 2:1, Titus 2:7–8, Titus 2:15 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 33:21 • ID: 2873
Displaying Your Design
1 Peter 3:1–6, Titus 2:3–5 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 36:43 • ID: 2293
A Study in Titus, Volume 2
Sound Doctrine, Sound Living Titus 2:1–15 Series • ID: 15604
Be Ready for Every Good Work
1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Final Instructions and Greetings
12When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
15All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.
Ordinary People and Everyday Events
Titus 3:12–15 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 33:24 • ID: 2887
A Study in Titus, Volume 3
The Beauty of Good Works Titus 3:1–15 Series • ID: 15606
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.