St. Paul, having preached the faith in the island of Crete,
he ordained his beloved disciple and companion, Titus,
bishop, and left him there to finish the work which he had
begun. Afterwards the Apostle, on a journey to Nicopolis, a
city of Macedonia, wrote this Epistle to Titus, in which he
directs him to ordain bishops and priests for the different
cities, shewing him the principal qualities necessary for a
bishop. He also gives him particular advice for his own
conduct to his flock, exhorting him to hold to strictness
of discipline, but seasoned with lenity. It was written
about thirty-three years after our Lord's Ascension.
Titus Chapter 1
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.
Titus Chapter 2
How he is to instruct both old and young. The duty of
servants. The Christian's rule of life.
2:1. But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine:
2:2. That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in
faith, in love, in patience.
2:3. The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not
false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well:
2:4. That they may teach the young women to be wise, to
love their husbands, to love their children.
2:5. To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the
house, gentle, obedient to their husbands: that the word of
God be not blasphemed.
2:6. Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober.
2:7. In all things shew thyself an example of good works,
in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity,
2:8. The sound word that can not be blamed: that he who is
on the contrary part may be afraid, having no evil to say
of us.
2:9. Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters: in
all things pleasing, not gainsaying:
2:10. Not defrauding, but in all things shewing good
fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our
Saviour in all things.
2:11. For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all
men:
2:12. Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly
desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in
this world,
2:13. Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity and might cleanse to himself a people
acceptable, a pursuer of good works.
2:15. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all
authority. Let no man despise thee.
Titus Chapter 3
Other instructions and directions for life and doctrine.
3:1. Admonish them to be subject to princes and powers, to
obey at a word, to be ready to every good work.
3:2. To speak evil of no man, not to be litigious but
gentle: shewing all mildness towards all men.
3:3. For we ourselves also were some time unwise,
incredulous, erring, slaves to divers desires and
pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating
one another.
3:4. But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour
appeared:
3:5. Not by the works of justice which we have done, but
according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of
regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost.
3:6. Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through
Jesus Christ our Saviour:
3:7. That, being justified by his grace, we may be heirs
according to hope of life everlasting.
3:8. It is a faithful saying. And these things I will have
thee affirm constantly, that they who believe in God may be
careful to excel in good works. These things are good and
profitable unto men.
3:9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and
contentions and strivings about the law. For they are
unprofitable and vain.
3:10. A man that is a heretic, after the first and second
admonition, avoid:
3:11. Knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and
sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.
By his own judgment... Other offenders are judged, and cast
out of the church, by the sentence of the pastors of the
same church. Heretics, more unhappy, run out of the church
of their own accord, and by doing so, give judgment and
sentence against their own souls.
3:12. When I shall send to thee Artemas or Tychicus, make
haste to come unto me to Nicopolis. For there I have
determined to winter.
3:13. Send forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollo, with care
that nothing be wanting to them.
3:14. And let our men also learn to excel in good works for
necessary uses: that they be not unfruitful.
3:15. All that are with me salute thee. Salute them that
love us in the faith. The grace of God be with you all.
Amen.
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