Paul’s Greeting to Titus
(2 Corinthians 8:16–24)
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, Rom 1:11Ti 6:32Pe 1:32Ti 2:232Ti 2:25Tit 2:11-121Ti 3:162Pe 3:11 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. 1 Num 23:192Ti 1:91Jn 2:25Heb 6:17-181Jn 5:11-132Ti 1:1Tit 2:131Sa 15:29 In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior. 1Ti 1:111Ti 1:1Tit 3:4-6Tit 2:10Tit 2:131Co 9:171Th 2:41Ti 2:3
To Titus, my true child in our common faith: 2Ti 1:2Jud 1:32Co 2:132Pe 1:12Co 8:232Pe 1:112Pe 3:18Jhn 4:42
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Appointing Elders on Crete
(1 Timothy 3:1–7; 1 Peter 5:1–4)
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Act 14:231Ti 1:3Ecc 12:91Co 14:401Co 11:342Ti 2:2Act 11:30Act 27:12 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, 2 having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. 1Ti 3:121Ti 3:2-7Pro 28:7Tit 1:6-8Eph 5:18Gen 18:191Sa 2:111Sa 2:22
As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Eph 5:182Pe 2:101Pe 4:101Pe 5:2Jas 1:19-20Luk 12:421Ti 3:1-132Ti 2:24-25 Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 1Ti 3:2Tit 2:71Ki 5:71Jn 3:141Jn 5:11Ki 5:11Sa 18:11Th 2:10 He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. 2Th 2:152Ti 1:131Ti 6:31Ti 1:101Ti 1:15Rev 3:11Rev 3:31Co 14:24
Correcting False Teachers
(1 Timothy 1:3–11)
For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, 1Ti 1:61Jn 4:1Gal 2:4Eph 4:141Ti 6:3-52Ti 3:13Act 11:2Gal 1:6-8 who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not. 2Ti 3:61Ti 6:5Rom 3:19Tit 3:10Psa 63:11Tit 1:9Mic 3:5Psa 107:42 As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 3 Rom 16:181Ti 4:2Act 17:282Pe 2:152Pe 2:12Act 2:11Jud 1:8-13
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith 1Ti 5:20Tit 2:22Ti 4:2Tit 2:152Co 13:10Pro 27:51Ti 4:62Co 7:8-12 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth. 2Ti 4:4Col 2:22Gal 4:92Pe 2:22Mat 15:91Ti 1:4-7Isa 29:13Mrk 7:7
To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled. Rom 14:14Rom 14:201Co 10:231Ti 4:3-4Mat 15:18Rom 14:231Co 10:31Act 10:15 They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed. 1Jn 2:4Isa 29:13Eph 5:6Ezk 33:312Ti 3:5-8Jud 1:4Rom 1:28Rev 21:27