rsv Titus:1 SEEK
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Paul ,
a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ ,
to further the faith of God '
s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness ,
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in hope of eternal life which God ,
who never lies ,
promised ages ago
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and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior ;
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To Titus ,
my true child in a common faith :
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior .
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This is why I left you in Crete ,
that you might amend what was defective ,
and appoint elders in every town as I directed you ,
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if any man is blameless ,
the husband of one wife ,
and his children are believers and not open to the charge of being profligate or insubordinate .
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For a bishop ,
as God '
s steward ,
must be blameless ;
he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain ,
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but hospitable ,
a lover of goodness ,
master of himself ,
upright ,
holy ,
and self-controlled ;
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he must hold firm to the sure word as taught ,
so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it .
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For there are many insubordinate men ,
empty talkers and deceivers ,
especially the circumcision party ;
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they must be silenced ,
since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for base gain what they have no right to teach .
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One of themselves ,
a prophet of their own ,
said , "
Cretans are always liars ,
evil beasts ,
lazy gluttons ."
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This testimony is true .
Therefore rebuke them sharply ,
that they may be sound in the faith ,
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instead of giving heed to Jewish myths or to commands of men who reject the truth .
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To the pure all things are pure ,
but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure ;
their very minds and consciences are corrupted .
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They profess to know God ,
but they deny him by their deeds ;
they are detestable ,
disobedient ,
unfit for any good deed .