What kind of men he is to ordain priests. Some men are to be sharply
rebuked.
1:1. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of the elect of God and the acknowledging of the truth, which
is according to godliness:
1:2. Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who lieth not, hath
promised before the times of the world:
1:3. But hath in due times manifested his word in preaching, which is
committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour:
1:4. To Titus, my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and
peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Saviour.
1:5. For this cause I left thee in Crete: that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting and shouldest ordain priests in every
city, as I also appointed thee:
1:6. If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful
children, not accused of riot or unruly.
1:7. For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not
proud, not subject to anger, nor given to wine, no striker, not greedy
of filthy lucre:
1:8. But given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent:
1:9. Embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that
he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the
gainsayers.
1:10. For there are also many disobedient, vain talkers and seducers:
especially they who are of the circumcision.
1:11. Who must be reproved, who subvert whole houses, teaching things
which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
1:12. One of them a prophet of their own, said: The Cretans are always
liars, evil beasts, slothful bellies.
1:13. This testimony is true. Wherefore, rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the faith:
1:14. Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn
themselves away from the truth.
1:15. All things are clean to the clean: but to them that are defiled
and to unbelievers, nothing is clean: but both their mind and their
conscience are defiled.
1:16. They profess that they know God: but in their works they deny him:
being abominable and incredulous and to every good work reprobate.