Titus 1:2-3

1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. ¹  1:3 But now in his own time ²  he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.

Titus 1:5

Titus’ Task on Crete

1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Titus 1:7

1:7 For the overseer ³  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, ⁴  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

Titus 1:9

1:9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, ⁵  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching ⁶  and correct those who speak against it.

Titus 1:12-13

1:12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ⁷  1:13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith

Titus 1:16--2:2

1:16 They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁸  sound teaching. 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ⁹  sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. ¹⁰ 

Titus 2:5

2:5 to be self-controlled, ¹¹  pure, fulfilling their duties at home, ¹²  kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message ¹³  of God may not be discredited. ¹⁴ 

Titus 2:7-8

2:7 showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, 2:8 and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, ¹⁵  because he has nothing evil to say about us.

Titus 2:12

2:12 It trains us ¹⁶  to reject godless ways ¹⁷  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Titus 2:14

2:14 He ¹⁸  gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, ¹⁹  who are eager to do good. ²⁰ 

Titus 3:1

Conduct Toward Those Outside the Church

3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and ²¹  authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.

Titus 3:5

3:5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:8-9

Summary of the Letter

3:8 This saying ²²  is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, ²³  so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people. 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, ²⁴  quarrels, and fights about the law, ²⁵  because they are useless and empty.

Titus 3:14

3:14 Here is another way that our people ²⁶  can learn ²⁷  to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful.

¹ tn Grk “before eternal ages.”

² tn The Greek text emphasizes the contrast between vv. 2b and 3a: God promised this long ago but now has revealed it in his own time.

³ sn The overseer is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in this passage and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between these verses and 1 Tim 3:1-7.

⁴ tn Grk “as God’s steward.”

⁴ tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).

⁵ tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).

⁵ sn A saying attributed to the poet Epimenides of Crete (6th century b.c.).

⁶ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

⁷ tn Or “sensible.”

⁸ sn Temperate…in endurance. See the same cluster of virtues in 1 Thess 1:3 and 1 Cor 13:13.

⁸ tn Or “sensible.”

⁹ tn Grk “domestic,” “keeping house.”

¹⁰ tn Or “word.”

¹¹ tn Or “slandered.”

⁹ tn Or “put to shame.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “training us” (as a continuation of the previous clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 by translating the participle παιδεύουσα (paideuousa) as a finite verb and supplying the pronoun “it” as subject.

¹¹ tn Grk “ungodliness.”

¹¹ tn Grk “who” (as a continuation of the previous clause).

¹² tn Or “a people who are his very own.”

¹³ tn Grk “for good works.”

¹² tc Most later witnesses (D² 0278 Ï lat sy) have καί (kai, “and”) after ἀρχαῖς (arcai", “rulers”), though the earliest and best witnesses (א A C D* F G Ψ 33 104 1739 1881) lack the conjunction. Although the καί is most likely not authentic, it has been added in translation due to the requirements of English style. For more discussion, see TCGNT 586.

¹³ sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the preceding citation (Titus 3:4-7). See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11 for other occurrences of this phrase.

¹⁴ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

¹⁴ tn Cf. 1 Tim 1:4.

¹⁵ sn Fights about the law were characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus as well as in Crete (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-7; Titus 1:10, 14).

¹⁵ tn Grk “that those who are ours” (referring to the Christians).

¹⁶ tn Grk “and also let our people learn.”