The Bible — World English Bible
Titus 1
In brief
Paul writes to Titus, who was left in Crete to put the churches in order. He first lays the foundation: faith and the truth that leads to godliness rest on the hope of eternal life, promised by the God who cannot lie. He then asks Titus to appoint elders of blameless character who hold to sound doctrine. Finally he warns against false teachers who upset whole families and whose conduct contradicts their words.
The chapter in 3 parts
1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
2in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
3but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
5I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,
6if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.
7For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
8but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled,
9holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.
10For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”
13This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
16They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
Key verses
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
Paul ties faith, truth and godliness together and bases them on the hope of eternal life promised by the God who cannot lie. What we believe cannot be separated from how we live.
I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,
Here is the mission entrusted to Titus: to set in order what remains to be settled and to appoint elders in every city. The word is plural, which points to shared leadership rather than a lone leader.
For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
Paul describes the overseer as God's steward, someone entrusted with what belongs to another. The list of what he must not be (self-pleasing, quick-tempered, violent, greedy) says a lot about the risks of power.
holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.
The elder must hold to the faithful word as it was taught, so as to exhort in sound doctrine and answer those who contradict it. The ability to teach and defend the gospel is part of the role.
They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
The chapter ends on a contrast: one can claim to know God and deny him by one's deeds. It is conduct that confirms or contradicts a profession of faith.
Bible verses to meditate on
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What the sermons say
Frequently asked questions about Titus 1
What is the main message of Titus 1?
Paul reminds us that the truth of the gospel leads to a life of godliness, then asks that church leaders of blameless character, able to teach sound doctrine, be appointed in every city. He ends by warning against false teachers whose lives contradict their words.
What qualities does Titus 1:5-9 require of elders?
The text describes a blameless man, faithful in his home, who is not self-pleasing, quick-tempered, violent or greedy, but hospitable, fair, self-controlled and committed to the word as it was taught. He must be able to exhort in sound doctrine and answer those who oppose it. Churches do not all read this passage the same way, particularly on the place of women in leadership, but they agree on the importance of character.
Why does Paul quote a Cretan prophet in verse 12?
Paul takes up a saying of a Cretan poet who described his own countrymen harshly, adding that this testimony is true. So he is not speaking from outside: he relies on a word they knew. The aim is not to condemn a people, but to justify a firm rebuke so that believers can return to a sound faith.
Articles quoting Titus 1
World English Bible translation — public domain.