¶ Paul, a servant¹ of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith² of God's elect, and the acknowledging³ of the truth which is after⁴ godliness;

In⁵ hope of eternal⁶ life, which God⁷, that cannot lie, promised⁸ before⁹ the world began;

But hath in¹⁰ due times manifested¹¹ his word through preaching, which¹² is committed unto me according to the commandment of God¹³ our Saviour;

To Titus¹⁴, mine¹⁵ own son after the common¹⁶ faith: Grace¹⁷, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our¹⁸ Saviour.

¶ For this cause left I thee in Crete²⁰, that thou shouldest set²¹ in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

¶ If any²³ be blameless, the husband²⁴ of one wife, having²⁵ faithful children not²⁶ accused of riot or²⁷ unruly.

For a bishop²⁸ must be blameless, as²⁹ the steward of God; not selfwilled³⁰, not soon³¹ angry, not given to wine³², no³³ striker, not given to filthy³⁴ lucre;

But a lover of hospitality³⁵, a lover of good³⁶ men³⁷, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Holding³⁸ fast³⁹ the faithful word as he hath been taught⁴⁰, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince⁴¹ the gainsayers.

¶ For there⁴² are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially⁴³ they of the circumcision:

Whose mouths⁴⁴ must be stopped, who subvert⁴⁵ whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy⁴⁶ lucre's sake.

One of⁴⁷ themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars⁴⁸, evil beasts, slow bellies.

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke⁴⁹ them sharply, that⁵⁰ they may be sound in the faith;

Not giving heed to Jewish⁵¹ fables, and commandments⁵² of men, that turn⁵³ from the truth.

Unto the pure⁵⁴ all things are pure: but⁵⁵ unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their⁵⁶ mind and conscience is defiled.

They profess⁵⁷ that they know God; but in works they deny him, being⁵⁸ abominable, and disobedient⁵⁹, and unto⁶⁰ every good work reprobate⁶¹.