1 Greetings from|strong="G2596" Paul|strong="G3972", a|strong="G2532" servant|strong="G1401" of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316" and|strong="G2532" an|strong="G2532" apostle|strong="G0652" of|strong="G2316" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547". I|strong="G2532" was|strong="G2424" sent|strong="G0652" to|strong="G2596" help God’s|strong="G2316" chosen|strong="G1588" people|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" and|strong="G2532" understand the|strong="G3588" truth|strong="G0225" that|strong="G2316" produces a|strong="G2532" life of|strong="G2316" devotion to|strong="G2596" God|strong="G2316".
2 This|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G3739" and|strong="G2316" knowledge make us|strong="G1909" sure that|strong="G3739" we|strong="G3739" have|strong="G3588" eternal|strong="G0166" life|strong="G2222". God|strong="G2316" promised|strong="G1861" that|strong="G3739" life|strong="G2222" to|strong="G1909" us|strong="G1909" before|strong="G4253" time|strong="G5550" began|strong="G0166"—and|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316" does|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3739" lie|strong="G0893".
3 At|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" right|strong="G2540" time|strong="G2540", God|strong="G2316" let the|strong="G3588" world know about|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3739" life. He|strong="G0846" did this|strong="G3588" through|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" telling of|strong="G3056" the|strong="G3588" Good News|strong="G3056" message|strong="G3056", and|strong="G1161" he|strong="G0846" trusted me|strong="G1473" with|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3739" work. I|strong="G1473" told people|strong="G0846" that|strong="G3739" message|strong="G3056" because|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2316" our|strong="G2316" Savior|strong="G4990" commanded me|strong="G1473" to|strong="G2596".
4 To|strong="G2596" Titus|strong="G5103", a|strong="G2532" true|strong="G1103" son|strong="G5043" to|strong="G2596" me|strong="G1473" in|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G4102" we|strong="G2249" share together|strong="G2532".
5 I|strong="G1473" left|strong="G0620" you|strong="G4771" in|strong="G1722" Crete|strong="G2914" so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" you|strong="G4771" could finish doing what|strong="G3588" still needed to|strong="G2443" be|strong="G2532" done. And|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" also|strong="G2532" left|strong="G0620" you|strong="G4771" there|strong="G1722" so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" you|strong="G4771" could choose men|strong="G3778" to|strong="G2443" be|strong="G2532" elders|strong="G4245" in|strong="G1722" every|strong="G2596" town|strong="G4172".
6 To|strong="G1722" be|strong="G1510" an|strong="G2192" elder, a|strong="G2192" man|strong="G0435" must|strong="G1135" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" guilty of|strong="G0435" living|strong="G2192" in|strong="G1722" a|strong="G2192" wrong way|strong="G1722". He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1135" be|strong="G1510" faithful|strong="G4103" to|strong="G1722" his|strong="G2192" wife|strong="G1135", and|strong="G1135" his|strong="G2192" children|strong="G5043" must|strong="G1135" be|strong="G1510" faithful|strong="G4103" to|strong="G1722" God. They|strong="G2192" must|strong="G1135" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" known as|strong="G1722" children|strong="G5043" who|strong="G5101" are|strong="G1510" wild or|strong="G2228" don’t|strong="G3361" obey.
7 An|strong="G1510" elder has|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" job of|strong="G2316" taking care of|strong="G2316" God’s|strong="G2316" work|strong="G3623". So|strong="G3361" people|strong="G1510" should|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" able to|strong="G1163" say that|strong="G2316" he|strong="G1510" lives in|strong="G2316" a|strong="G5613" wrong way|strong="G5613". He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" someone who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" proud and|strong="G2316" selfish or|strong="G3361" who|strong="G3588" gets angry quickly. He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" drink too much, and|strong="G2316" he|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" someone who|strong="G3588" likes to|strong="G1163" fight. He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1510" a|strong="G5613" man|strong="G3361" who|strong="G3588" will|strong="G2316" do|strong="G1510" almost anything for|strong="G1063" money.
8 An elder must|strong="G0235" be ready to|strong="G3741" help people by|strong="G0235" welcoming them into|strong="G1342" his home. He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" love what|strong="G0235" is|strong="G1342" good|strong="G5358". He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" be wise. He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" live right|strong="G1342". He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" be devoted to|strong="G3741" God and|strong="G1342" pleasing to|strong="G3741" him. And|strong="G1342" he|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" be able to|strong="G3741" control himself.
9 An|strong="G1510" elder must|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" faithful|strong="G4103" to|strong="G2443" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G2532" true message|strong="G3056" we|strong="G2532" teach. Then|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" able|strong="G1415" to|strong="G2443" encourage|strong="G3870" others|strong="G3588" with|strong="G1722" teaching|strong="G1322" that|strong="G2443" is|strong="G1510" true and|strong="G2532" right. And|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" able|strong="G1415" to|strong="G2443" show|strong="G1651" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G1510" against|strong="G2596" this|strong="G3588" teaching|strong="G1322" that|strong="G2443" they|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" wrong|strong="G1651".
10 This|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" important, because|strong="G1063" there|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" many|strong="G4183" people|strong="G1510" who|strong="G3588" refuse to|strong="G2532" obey—people|strong="G1510" who|strong="G3588" talk about|strong="G3588" worthless things|strong="G4183" and|strong="G2532" mislead others|strong="G3588". I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" talking especially|strong="G3122" about|strong="G3588" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" say that|strong="G1510" men|strong="G0506" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" Jews must|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" circumcised|strong="G4061" to|strong="G2532" please God|strong="G4183".
11 These|strong="G3739" people|strong="G3361" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1163" stopped, because|strong="G5484" they|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3739" destroying whole|strong="G3650" families|strong="G3624" by|strong="G1210" teaching|strong="G1321" what|strong="G3739" they|strong="G3739" should|strong="G1163" not|strong="G3361" teach|strong="G1321". They|strong="G3739" teach|strong="G1321" only to|strong="G1163" cheat people|strong="G3361" and|strong="G1321" make|strong="G1163" money.
12 Even|strong="G0846" one|strong="G5100" of|strong="G1537" their|strong="G0846" own|strong="G2398" prophets|strong="G4396" said|strong="G3004", “Cretans|strong="G2912" are|strong="G0846" always|strong="G0104" liars|strong="G5583". They|strong="G0846" are|strong="G0846" evil|strong="G2556" animals and|strong="G4396" lazy|strong="G0692" people|strong="G0846" who|strong="G0846" do|strong="G3004" nothing but|strong="G5583" eat.”
13 The|strong="G3588" words that|strong="G3739" prophet said are|strong="G1510" true|strong="G0227". So|strong="G2443" tell those|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" that|strong="G3739" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G1510" wrong|strong="G1651". You|strong="G3739" must|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" strict with|strong="G1722" them|strong="G0846". Then|strong="G0846" they|strong="G0846" will|strong="G1510" become strong in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G4102",
14 and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" will|strong="G0444" stop|strong="G3361" paying|strong="G4337" attention|strong="G4337" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" stories told by|strong="G0444" those|strong="G3588" Jews. They|strong="G2532" will|strong="G0444" stop|strong="G3361" following the|strong="G3588" commands|strong="G1785" of|strong="G0444" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2532" turned|strong="G0654" away|strong="G0654" from|strong="G3361" the|strong="G3588" truth|strong="G0225".
15 To|strong="G2532" people|strong="G3956" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3956" pure|strong="G2513", everything|strong="G3956" is|strong="G3588" pure|strong="G2513". But|strong="G1161" to|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3956" full|strong="G3956" of|strong="G3956" sin and|strong="G2532" don’t believe, nothing|strong="G3762" is|strong="G3588" pure|strong="G2513". Really, their|strong="G0846" thinking|strong="G3563" has|strong="G3762" become evil and|strong="G2532" their|strong="G0846" consciences|strong="G4893" have|strong="G2532" been|strong="G2532" ruined.
16 They|strong="G2532" say they|strong="G2532" know|strong="G1492" God|strong="G2316", but|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3956" evil things|strong="G3956" they|strong="G2532" do|strong="G1492" show that|strong="G3956" they|strong="G2532" don’t accept him|strong="G2532". They|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" disgusting. They|strong="G2532" refuse to|strong="G4314" obey God|strong="G2316" and|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" capable of|strong="G2316" doing|strong="G2041" anything|strong="G3956" good|strong="G0018".