[This letter is from] Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle for [the benefit of] the faith of God's elect [i.e., His chosen people] and [to spread] the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness,

[and provides] hope for never ending life. God, who cannot lie, promised this [life] before the beginning of time,

[An elder must] not be guilty of just blame, [he must be] the husband of one wife, whose children are believers [Note: The word for "believers" may also be translated "faithful ones" or "trustworthy ones"], who have a reputation for not being wild or disobedient.

As God's manager [of the church], an overseer must be free from just blame, not a drunkard, not a fighter [and] not in love with money.

For there are many rebellious people, especially among the circumcision [i.e., the Jews], whose talk is useless and who deceive people.

They must be silenced [because] they are upsetting entire families by teaching things they should not be for the shameful purpose of making money.

[And] this testimony is true. [So], for this reason you should rebuke them severely, so that they will be sound in the faith,

These people claim to know God [as Savior], but they deny Him by their actions, so they are detestable and disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that the person who opposes [us] will have to be ashamed for not having anything bad to say about us.

or keeping [part of their master's] property for themselves, but proving to be completely trustworthy, so that they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive in every way.

For God's unearned favor has appeared, bringing salvation to all people [i.e., in the coming of Christ].

He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.

Remind the people [where you minister] to be in subjection to [civic] rulers, [governmental] authorities, to be obedient [to them], to be prepared for [doing] every good deed,

For we [Christians] were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various kinds of [evil] desires and [sinful] pleasures. [We used to] live in malice and envy, hating people and being hated by them.

This saying is trustworthy and I want you [in your teaching] to affirm these things with confidence, so that those people who have trusted God will be careful to devote themselves to doing good deeds. These things [i.e., just mentioned] are good and profitable for people [to do].

But you should avoid foolish arguments, and [pointless] discussions about ancestors, and quarrels and disputes about [observance of] the law of Moses, for they are unprofitable and useless.

Our people [i.e., the Christians there on Crete] also should learn to practice good deeds for meeting pressing needs, so that they can be productive [in the Lord's work].