that are always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also do these men withstand the truth; being corrupt in mind and worthless in all that concerns the faith.

But they will not advance in much more, for their folly will be evident to all men, as also that of those men came to be.

along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher;

and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures which can give you wisdom that leads to salvation through the faith that leans on Christ Jesus.

Every Scripture, seeing that it is God-breathed, is also profitable for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

so that the man of God may be perfectly fit, thoroughly equipped for every good enterprise.

for the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but get teachers of their own corrupt taste, to sooth their ears that itch for flattery:

Now the crown for doing right awaits me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day, and not only me but also all who have loved His appearing.

Bring the cloak that I left behind at Troas with Carpus when thou come, and the books, especially the parchments.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the message preached by me might have its full effect and all the heathen might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

Paul, a servant of God - an apostle moreover of Jesus Christ, - according to the faith of the chosen ones of God, and the personal knowledge of the truth that is according to godliness, -

in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

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;

To: Titus, a genuine child in the faith that we share. May grace and peace from God the Father and the Messiah, Jesus our Savior, be yours!

I left you in Crete for this express purpose, to set in order the things that are lacking, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you --

Men having a good record, husbands of one wife, whose children are of the faith, children of whom it may not be said that they are given to loose living or are uncontrolled.

For it is needful that the overseer be - unaccusable, as God's steward, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not ready to wound, not seeking gain by base means,

but harborous, one that loveth goodness, sober minded, righteous, holy, temperate,

and a man who continues to cling to the trustworthy message as he was taught it, so that he may be competent to encourage others with wholesome teaching and to convict those who oppose him.

For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.

who must be muzzled, men who subvert whole houses, teaching things that they ought not, for sake of ugly profit.

One of their very own prophets said, "Liars ever, men of Crete, savage brutes that live to eat."

Now this tendency is true. So continue correcting them severely, that they may be healthy in faith,

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

They profess to know God, but by their deeds they disown him; in that they are detestable, disobedient, and reprobate for good work of any sort.

But speak thou the things that are fitting for the sound doctrine.

that the older men be self-controlled, serious and sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

that older women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers or slaves to much wine, but teachers of what is right.

so that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

to be serious-minded, pure, homemakers, good, submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

that the word of God may not be blasphemed. the young men likewise exhort to be modest.

In all things see that you are an example of good works; holy in your teaching, serious in behaviour,

let your message be wholesome and unobjectionable, so that our opponent may be put to shame at having nothing evil to say about us.

That servants submit to their own masters, that they be obedient in all things; not speaking back;

not pilfering, but demonstrating all good fidelity, so that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

disciplining us, so that, having denied irreverence and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and piously in the present age.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

who gave himself for us, so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify to himself a special people, a zealot of good works.

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke, with all commanding. See that no man despise thee.

Make clear to them that they are to put themselves under rulers and authorities, to do what they are ordered, to be ready for every good work,

that they speak evil of no man, that they be no fighters, but soft, showing all meekness unto all men.

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

so that we might come into right standing with God through His unmerited favor and become heirs of eternal life in accordance with our hope.

It is a message to be trusted, and I want you to be emphatic about these things, so that those who believe in God may be careful to take the lead in doing good. These things are right and render service to mankind.

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

for you may be sure that such a man is crooked and sinful, even self-condemned.

Give a hearty send-off to Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, so that they may want for nothing.

And also let our men learn to be in the lead of good works for the essential needs, so that they may not be unfruitful.

All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

to our sister Apphia, to our fellow-soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets at your house:

hearing of thy love and faith that thou hast unto the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

and I pray that their sharing of your faith may result in their recognition in us of everything that is right with reference to Christ.

For, much joy, have I had, and encouragement, by occasion of thy love, in that, the tender affections of the saints, have had rest given them by thee, brother.

Therefore, though I have much boldness in Christ to command thee that which is befitting,

yet out of [mutual] love, I appeal to you [to do what I ask]. For I Paul, am an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. [Note: Most calculations suggest that Paul was approximately 60 years old, which was considered a relatively advanced age in that day].

I am appealing to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become during my imprisonment, that is, Onesimus,

And thou should welcome him, that is, my bowels.

Whom I wanted to keep back for myself, so that in thy behalf he might serve me in the bonds of the good-news.

but I would not do a single thing about it without your consent, so that this kindness of yours to me might not seem to come by compulsion but voluntarily.

For perhaps it was for this reason that he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,

not as a slave any longer but more than a slave, a dearly loved brother, especially to me and much more to you, both as a servant and as a Christian.

And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.

I, Paul, write it with my own hand, I will pay it in full -- not to mention the fact that you owe me your very self besides.

Yes, brother, that I may have your help in the Lord, refresh my heart in the Lord.

I write you in perfect confidence in your compliance with my wish, because I am sure that you will do even more than I ask.

And have a guest-room ready for me, too, for I hope that through your prayers I shall have the gracious privilege of coming to you.

along with [John] Mark [Note: This shows that Mark was now back in the good graces of Paul. See Acts 15:36-40], Aristarchus, Demas [Note: This man later deserted Paul. See II Tim. 4:10] and Luke, who are [also] my fellow-workers. [Note: These men, unlike Epaphras who was imprisoned with Paul, were free to minister for Christ there in Rome].

It was bit by bit and in many different ways that God in olden times spoke to our forefathers through the prophets,

but in these days at the end he has spoken to us by a Son ??a Son whom he appointed heir of the universe, as it was by him that he created the world.

Having become so much better than the heavenly agents, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they.

But God said [this] about the angels [Psa. 104:4 LXX], "He [i.e., God] makes His angels to be [like] winds and His servants [like] flames of fire." [Note: The idea is probably that angels obediently serve God's purpose similar to the way wind and lightening do].

You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

It is also of His Son that God says, "Thou, O Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

Because of this we ought to give more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest we might slip away.

For if the word uttered through angels stood firm, so that every transgression and act of disobedience met with its just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

how can we escape, if we pay no attention at all to a salvation that is so great? This is so because it was first proclaimed by the Lord Himself, and then it was proved to us to be valid by the very men who heard Him themselves,

And God was a witness with them, by signs and wonders, and by more than natural powers, and by his distribution of the Holy Spirit at his pleasure.

For it was not to angels that He gave authority over that world to be, of which we are speaking.

For someone somewhere has solemnly said: "What is man that you should think of him, or the Son of Man that you should care for Him?

Thou made him a little something less than the heavenly agents. Thou crowned him with glory and honor.

You have put all things under His feet!" Now when He gave Him authority over everything, He did not leave a single thing that was not put under His authority. But as yet we do not see everything actually under His authority,

but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest].

For, both he that maketh holy, and they who are being made holy, are, all, of One; For which cause, he is not ashamed to be calling them, brethren,

And again, I will be a man who has trusted in him. And again, Behold, I and the children that God has given me.

Since then the children mentioned share our mortal nature, He too took on Himself a full share of the same, in order that He by His death might put a stop to the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives.

For of course it is not angels but descendants of Abraham that He is to help.

Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins.

For inasmuch as He has suffered Himself by being tempted, He is able to give immediate help to any that are tempted.

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For just as the man who builds a house has greater glory than the house, by just so much is Jesus judged to be worthy of greater glory than Moses.