American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Titus 1
1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Reference
Faith
1 Timothy 3:16
Parallel theme
2 Timothy 2:23
References Christ
Colossians 2:2
References God
2 Peter 1:3
2 Peter 3:11
References Jesus
Romans 1:1
1 Timothy 6:3
Philippians 1:1
Truth
2 Timothy 2:25
1 Timothy 2:4
2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Reference
Covenant
1 John 2:25
2 Timothy 1:1
Eternal Life
Titus 3:7
Jude 1:21
1 John 5:20
Hope
Titus 2:13
Parallel theme
2 Timothy 1:9
2 Timothy 2:13
1 Samuel 15:29
References God
Numbers 23:19
3
But has in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
Reference
Parallel theme
Colossians 1:23
Ephesians 2:17
1 Corinthians 9:17
References God
1 Timothy 1:11
Colossians 1:6
Salvation
1 Timothy 1:1
Titus 2:10
Isaiah 45:21
1 Timothy 4:10
1 Timothy 2:3
4
To Titus, my own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Reference
Faith
Romans 1:12
Grace
2 Timothy 1:2
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 2:13
References Christ
2 Corinthians 8:23
Salvation
Jude 1:3
2 Peter 1:1
2 Peter 1:11
John 4:42
5
For this cause left I you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:
Reference
6
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Reference
7
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 2:10
Ephesians 5:18
Luke 12:42
Isaiah 28:7
Proverbs 14:17
Proverbs 15:18
Ezekiel 44:21
References God
1 Peter 5:2
1 Peter 4:10
9
Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the disputers.
Reference
Faith
2 Timothy 1:13
1 Timothy 1:15
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 1:10
1 Thessalonians 5:21
Revelation 3:3
Job 2:3
Proverbs 23:23
Titus 2:1
Word
2 Thessalonians 2:15
1 Timothy 6:3
10
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 1:6
1 John 4:1
Galatians 2:4
Ephesians 4:14
Acts 11:2
James 1:26
2 Timothy 3:13
11
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Reference
12
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Reference
13
This witness is true. Why rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Reference
Faith
Titus 2:2
1 Timothy 4:6
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 5:20
2 Corinthians 13:10
Titus 2:15
2 Timothy 4:2
Psalm 119:80
Psalm 141:5
Proverbs 27:5
14
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Reference
Parallel theme
Galatians 4:9
Isaiah 29:13
Truth
2 Timothy 4:4
2 Peter 2:22
Word
Colossians 2:22
Matthew 15:9
Mark 7:7
15
To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Reference
16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 2:4
Isaiah 29:13
Ezekiel 33:31
Revelation 21:27
1 Samuel 15:22
Revelation 21:8
References God
Ephesians 5:6
Jude 1:4
Romans 1:28
Isaiah 58:2
Summary of Titus 1
Titus 1 focuses on the establishment of trustworthy church leadership, the importance of godly character, the responsibility of elders to protect sound teaching, and the need to confront false teachers whose corrupt doctrine, immoral behavior, and pursuit of financial gain were damaging Christian households and communities in Crete.
Paul begins by identifying himself as a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, explaining that his ministry exists to strengthen the faith of God's people and lead them toward the knowledge of truth that produces godliness.
He connects this ministry with the hope of eternal life promised by God, emphasizing that God's promise is trustworthy because God cannot lie and that the gospel was revealed at the proper time through the preaching entrusted to Paul.
Paul then addresses Titus as his genuine son in their shared faith and reminds him that he has been left in Crete to complete unfinished work and appoint elders in every city, establishing Titus as an important organizer and spiritual leader within the developing Cretan churches.
The qualifications for elders are extensive because Christian leadership is presented primarily as a matter of character rather than status or ability.
An elder must be blameless, faithful in marriage, capable of managing his household well, and known for children who are not rebellious or disorderly, because someone unable to demonstrate responsible leadership within his own family would not be suitable to manage God's household.
Paul further explains that an overseer must not be arrogant, quick-tempered, violent, controlled by alcohol, or motivated by dishonest financial gain, while instead demonstrating hospitality, goodness, wisdom, justice, holiness, and self-control.
The leader must also hold firmly to the trustworthy message he has been taught, because he needs both to encourage believers through sound teaching and to refute those who contradict the truth.
Paul then turns directly to the problem of false teachers, particularly those who promoted circumcision and other teachings connected with Jewish religious traditions, explaining that such people were rebellious, deceptive, and capable of damaging entire households.
Their teaching was especially dangerous because they were not merely mistaken but were apparently using religion for dishonest financial gain, making their motives and conduct incompatible with Christian leadership.
Paul refers to a well-known saying about Cretans and uses it to describe the cultural and behavioral problems that Titus needed to confront, instructing him to rebuke people firmly so that they might become spiritually healthy and sound in their faith.
He warns believers not to become distracted by Jewish myths and human commandments, because religious traditions can become spiritually harmful when they replace or distort the truth of God.
Paul concludes by emphasizing that genuine spiritual purity begins within the person, because corrupted minds and consciences produce corrupted behavior even when someone outwardly claims to know God.
The central message of Titus 1 is that Christian churches require leaders whose personal lives, families, teaching, and conduct demonstrate genuine godliness, because those entrusted with God's household must protect sound doctrine, encourage believers, confront false teaching, reject dishonest religious practices and financial exploitation, and demonstrate through their own transformed lives that genuine knowledge of God always produces faithful and useful Christian behavior.
Paul begins by identifying himself as a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, explaining that his ministry exists to strengthen the faith of God's people and lead them toward the knowledge of truth that produces godliness.
He connects this ministry with the hope of eternal life promised by God, emphasizing that God's promise is trustworthy because God cannot lie and that the gospel was revealed at the proper time through the preaching entrusted to Paul.
Paul then addresses Titus as his genuine son in their shared faith and reminds him that he has been left in Crete to complete unfinished work and appoint elders in every city, establishing Titus as an important organizer and spiritual leader within the developing Cretan churches.
The qualifications for elders are extensive because Christian leadership is presented primarily as a matter of character rather than status or ability.
An elder must be blameless, faithful in marriage, capable of managing his household well, and known for children who are not rebellious or disorderly, because someone unable to demonstrate responsible leadership within his own family would not be suitable to manage God's household.
Paul further explains that an overseer must not be arrogant, quick-tempered, violent, controlled by alcohol, or motivated by dishonest financial gain, while instead demonstrating hospitality, goodness, wisdom, justice, holiness, and self-control.
The leader must also hold firmly to the trustworthy message he has been taught, because he needs both to encourage believers through sound teaching and to refute those who contradict the truth.
Paul then turns directly to the problem of false teachers, particularly those who promoted circumcision and other teachings connected with Jewish religious traditions, explaining that such people were rebellious, deceptive, and capable of damaging entire households.
Their teaching was especially dangerous because they were not merely mistaken but were apparently using religion for dishonest financial gain, making their motives and conduct incompatible with Christian leadership.
Paul refers to a well-known saying about Cretans and uses it to describe the cultural and behavioral problems that Titus needed to confront, instructing him to rebuke people firmly so that they might become spiritually healthy and sound in their faith.
He warns believers not to become distracted by Jewish myths and human commandments, because religious traditions can become spiritually harmful when they replace or distort the truth of God.
Paul concludes by emphasizing that genuine spiritual purity begins within the person, because corrupted minds and consciences produce corrupted behavior even when someone outwardly claims to know God.
The central message of Titus 1 is that Christian churches require leaders whose personal lives, families, teaching, and conduct demonstrate genuine godliness, because those entrusted with God's household must protect sound doctrine, encourage believers, confront false teaching, reject dishonest religious practices and financial exploitation, and demonstrate through their own transformed lives that genuine knowledge of God always produces faithful and useful Christian behavior.