The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 I, Paul, am God's slave and Christ's agent for promoting the faith among God's chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it.
1
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
2 My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end. This is the life God promised long ago - and he doesn't break promises!
2
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
3 And then when the time was ripe, he went public with his truth. I've been entrusted to proclaim this Message by order of our Savior, God himself.
3
and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
4 Dear Titus, legitimate son in the faith: Receive everything God our Father and Jesus our Savior give you!
4
To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5 I left you in charge in Crete so you could complete what I left half-done. Appoint leaders in every town according to my instructions.
5
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you--
6 As you select them, ask, "Is this man well-thought-of? Are his children believers? Do they respect him and stay out of trouble?"
6
if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
7 It's important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God's house, be looked up to - not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry.
7
For an overseer,as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8 He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself,
8
but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9 and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.
9
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst.
10
For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.
11 They've got to be shut up. They're disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck.
11
They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
12 One of their own prophets said it best: The Cretans are liars from the womb, barking dogs, lazy bellies.
12
One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."
13 He certainly spoke the truth. Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules
13
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 so they can recover a robust faith.
14
not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
15 Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act.
15
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
16 They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words. They're real creeps, disobedient good-for-nothings.
16
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.