serving in hope of the life eternal which God, who never lies, promised ages ago ??3 he gave effect to his word in due time by a proclamation with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Saviour: ??4 to Titus my lawful son in a faith we hold in common; grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

but at the proper time made known as His message through the message that I preach with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour;

[It is being sent] to Titus, my true son, [who shares] in a common faith. [May you have] unearned favor and peace [which come] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

I left you behind in Crete expressly to correct what defects there were, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you??6 men of irreproachable character, who have been married only once, whose children are Christians, free from any suspicion of profligacy or disobedience.

each elder must be above reproach, have only one wife, and his children must not be liable to the charge of profligacy or disobedience.

For there are many rebellious men who are empty talkers [just windbags] and deceivers; especially those of the circumcision [those Jews who insist that Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the Law in order to be saved].

By whom some families have been completely overturned; who take money for teaching things which are not right; these will have to be stopped.

and that statement is true. Therefore correct them rigorously, to make them have a healthy faith,

Giving no attention to the fictions of the Jews and the rules of men who have no true knowledge.

Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. Indeed, their very way of thinking and their consciences have been corrupted.

They say that they have knowledge of God, while by their acts they are turning their backs on him; they are hated by all, hard-hearted, and judged to be without value for any good work.

Do you, however, speak of such subjects as properly have a place in sound Christian teaching.

that the elder women in like manner be in deportment as becoming those who have to say to sacred things, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is right;

Training the younger women to have love for their husbands and children,

gravity; let your doctrine be sound and inoffensive, that your opponents may be ashamed, and have nothing that is ill to say of us.

Constantly remind people to submit to and obey the rulers who have authority over them, so as to be ready for any good enterprise,

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

So that, having been given righteousness through grace, we might have a part in the heritage, the hope of eternal life.

Faithful is the saying. And I want thee to strongly insist about these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to manage good works. These things are good and beneficial to men.

But have nothing to do with foolish questionings, and lists of generations, and fights and arguments about the law; for they are of no profit and foolish.

After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],

When 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.

Make every effort to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; make sure they have what they need.

Have our people learn to make it their business to do good, so as to meet these pressing demands and not live unfruitful lives.