What kind of men he is to ordain priests. Some men are to be sharply rebuked.

¹ Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God’s elect and in acknowledgment of the truth which is accompanied by piety,

² in the hope of the eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before the ages of time,

³ which, at the proper time, he has manifested by his Word, in the preaching that has been entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior;

⁴ to Titus, beloved son according to the common faith. Grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior.

⁵ For this reason, I left you behind in Crete: so that those things which are lacking, you would correct, and so that you would ordain, throughout the communities, priests, (just as I also ordained you)

⁶ if such a man is without offense, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of self-indulgence, nor of insubordination.¹

1. 1:6Married men were permitted, for a time, to become priests, because most Christians were converts in adulthood, so that the vast majority of men who might become priests were already married prior to converting. As for the term ‘filios,’ it literally means ‘sons,’ and, in those days, a father would generally teach his sons a trade and other things, whereas teaching daughters fell more to the mother; so the father would have authority and responsibility over all his children, but how good he was at raising his children would be seen more in the sons, than in the daughters. The term ‘filios’ having the greater meaning of sons, and the lesser meaning of children, is fitting here, since the father has a greater responsibility for raising sons, but some responsibility for raising all the children.(Conte)

⁷ And a bishop, as a steward of God, must be without offense: not arrogant, not short-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not desiring tainted profit,

⁸ but instead: hospitable, kind, sober, just, holy, chaste,

⁹ embracing faithful speech which is in agreement with doctrine, so that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to argue against those who contradict.

¹⁰ For there are, indeed, many who are disobedient, who speak empty words, and who deceive, especially those who are of the circumcision.

¹¹ These must be reproved, for they subvert entire houses, teaching things which should not be taught, for the favor of shameful gain.¹

1. 1:11In the last days, entire religious houses will be subverted by false doctrine. This will occur to one extent during the first part of the tribulation, and to a greater extent during the second part of the tribulation.(Conte)

¹² A certain one of these, a prophet of their own kind, said: “The Cretans are ever liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

¹³ This testimony is true. Because of this, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish fables, nor to the rules of men who have turned themselves away from the truth.

¹⁵ All things are clean to those who are clean. But to those who are defiled, and to unbelievers, nothing is clean; for both their mind and their conscience have been polluted.

¹⁶ They claim that they know God. But, by their own works, they deny him, since they are abominable, and unbelieving, and reprobate, toward every good work.