1:5. It was for this purpose I left you in Crete, so that you might further set in order what remains to be set in order, and ordain elders in every city as I directed you. To be eligible to this office a man must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, with believing children, and not under a charge of leading a dissolute life, or of being a man who cannot be controlled. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's agent, Not self-willed, Not irritable, Not one who becomes violent over wine, Not given to using physical force, Not one who is greedy of disgraceful So that he may be able both to encourage believers with his wholesome teach ing and to refute those who speak against it. For there are many who cannot be controlled, TITUS 1: 10. CRETAN LIARS. 265 who talk foolishness and deceive men's minds. Those who were Jews especially do this, and their mouths must be closed, because, for the sake of disgraceful gain, they teach what they ought not to teach, and lead whole families into unbelief. One of themselves, one of their prophets, said: "Cretans are always liars, fierce wild beasts, idle gluttons." This testimony is true. For this reason you must be severe with them to keep them healthy in the faith, and to prevent them from devoting themselves to Jewish speculations and the directions of men who reject the truth. To the pure everything is pure. But to those who are defiled and are unbelievers nothing is pure. On the contrary, both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him. For they are detestable and rebellious, and unfit for anything that is noble. But you, for your part, give expression to what is becoming to wholesome teaching. Require the old men to be Temperate, Sober-minded, Healthy in the faith, In love, In endurance. 2:3. Urge old women also to conduct themselves in a manner becoming their profession, Not as slanderers, Not as enslaved to the excessive use of wine, But as teachers of what is noble, so that they may earnestly urge the young women To love their husbands, To love their children, To be sober-minded, Pure, Devoted to their homes, Generous, And obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be reviled. Urge the younger men also to be sober-minded. In everything show yourself a noble example. In your teaching show Purity, Healthy instruction not to be condemned, so that our enemies may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Urge slaves to be obedient to their own masters, and please them well in everything, not opposing them, nor stealing from them, but, on the contrary, on every possible occasion showing themselves generously faithful, so that, in everything, their conduct may do honor to the teaching of God our Saviour. TITUS 2: 11. SALVATION FOR ALL. 267 For the favor of God has appeared, and has brought salvation to all men, and has taught us to give up impiety and worldly desires, and to live as sober-minded men, good and pious, in the present world. As such we are to look for the blessed hope and manifestation of the majestic splendor of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to release us from every kind of lawlessness and to acquire for himself a people whose hearts are pure and whose deeds are noble. these things known, urge their acceptance, reprove those who do not take kindly to them, with a full display of your authority. Let no one despise you. Make Remind them to submit themselves to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every noble deed, to say nothing bad about any one, to be averse to quarrelling, to be forbearing in manner, and to show themselves thoroughly gentle to everybody. For we were once ourselves also Foolish, The slaves of different kinds of desires and pleasures, Living in ill-will and envy, Hateful, And hating each other, "But when the kindness of God our Saviour, 3: 4. And his love towards man was made plain, Not because of what we in our goodness did, But, on the contrary, it was owing to his pity, He saved us by means of the bath of regener- And renewing of the Holy Spirit ; So that, being set right with God by his favor, Might be made heirs of eternal life.” To be relied on is the saying, and about these things I want you to assert confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to do what is noble. These are noble and of advantage to men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies and wranglings and contentions about the law. For they are not of the least advantage. A man who is factious, after a second warning, avoid. For you will then know that such a one has changed for the worse, and is sinning. For he is his own judge. When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, make an effort to visit me at Nicopolis. For I have decided to spend the winter there. Make an effort to equip Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos for their jour |