THE NEW TESTAMENT: AN UNDERSTANDABLE VERSION Table of Contents
TITUS
CHAPTER ONE
1) [This letter is from] Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle for [the benefit of] the faith of God=
s elect [i.e., His chosen people] and [to spread] the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness, 2) [and provides] hope for never ending life. God, who cannot lie, promised this [life] before the beginning of time, 3) but at the proper time revealed [it] through the message entrusted to me to proclaim, by the commandment of God our Savior. 4) [It is being sent] to Titus, my true son, [who shares] in a common faith. [May you have] unearned favor and peace [which come] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.5) The reason I left you in Crete [Note: This was an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the southern coast of Greece] was so you could set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city [i.e., where there was a church], as I directed you. 6) [An elder must] not be guilty of just blame, [he must be] the husband of one wife, whose children are believers [Note: The word for Abelievers@ may also be translated Afaithful ones@ or Atrustworthy ones@], who have a reputation for not being wild or disobedient. 7) As God=s manager [of the church], an overseer must be free from just blame, not a drunkard, not a fighter [and] not in love with money. 8) [He must be] hospitable, someone who loves what is good, sensible, upright, devout and self-controlled. 9) [He must] hold on firmly to the trustworthy message, which is according to [our] teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort people with sound teaching and to convince those who contradict it.
10) For there are many rebellious people, especially among the circumcision [i.e., the Jews], whose talk is useless and who deceive people. 11) They must be silenced [because] they are upsetting entire families by teaching things they should not be for the shameful purpose of making money. 12) Even one of their own prophets said, AThe people of Crete are always liars, vicious beasts and lazy gluttons.@ 13) [And] this testimony is true. [So], for this reason you should rebuke them severely, so that they will be sound in the faith, 14) instead of paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who reject the truth. 15) Everything is pure [i.e., ceremonially acceptable] to the person who is pure [i.e., who has been cleansed by the blood of Christ], but to those who are [spiritually] corrupt, and do not believe [in Christ], nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted. [Note: This statement was intended to remove the physical restrictions imposed by the Law of Moses]. 16) These people claim to know God [as Savior], but they deny Him by their actions, so they are detestable and disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
CHAPTER TWO
1) But you should speak those things which agree with sound teaching: 2) Older men should be sober-minded [See note at I Tim. 3:2], dignified [i.e., respectable], sensible, sound in the faith [or, Ain their faith@], in their love and in their perseverance.
3) Older women, likewise, should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, teachers of what is good. 4) Then they can train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5) to be sensible, [morally] pure, [good] homemakers, kind [and] in subjection to their own husbands, so that God=s message will not be spoken against.
6) In the same way, you should exhort the younger men to be sensible. 7) In everything [you do], you should show that you are a [proper] example of doing good deeds. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8) and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that the person who opposes [us] will have to be ashamed for not having anything bad to say about us.
9) Slaves should be in subjection to their own masters in everything. They should try hard to please them, without talking back 10) or keeping [part of their master=s] property for themselves, but proving to be completely trustworthy, so that they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive in every way.
11) For God=s unearned favor has appeared, bringing salvation to all people [i.e., in the coming of Christ]. 12) It instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly desires and to live sensible, righteous and godly lives in this present age, 13) while looking forward to the blessed hope [i.e., the hope that produces blessings] and the coming splendor of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 14) He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.
15) You should teach these things and exhort and rebuke people with full authority. Do not let anyone look down on you. [See note on I Tim. 4:12].
CHAPTER THREE
1) Remind the people [where you minister] to be in subjection to [civic] rulers, [governmental] authorities, to be obedient [to them], to be prepared for [doing] every good deed, 2) to slander no one, to be peaceful, to be considerate [or, Agentle@] and to show every courtesy to all people. 3) For we [Christians] were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various kinds of [evil] desires and [sinful] pleasures. [We used to] live in malice and envy, hating people and being hated by them. 4) But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, 5) He saved us, not because of any good deeds we ourselves had done, but because of His mercy. [He saved us] through the washing of new birth [Note: This refers to our immersion in water] and the renewing [work] of the Holy Spirit, 6) whom God poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7) [This was] so that, being made right with God by His unearned favor, we could have the hope of [possessing our] inheritance of never ending life [in heaven]. 8) This saying is trustworthy and I want you [in your teaching] to affirm these things with confidence, so that those people who have trusted God will be careful to devote themselves to doing good deeds. These things [i.e., just mentioned] are good and profitable for people [to do].
9) But you should avoid foolish arguments, and [pointless] discussions about ancestors, and quarrels and disputes about [observance of] the Law of Moses, for they are unprofitable and useless. 10) After you have warned a divisive person twice, have nothing more to do with him [i.e., withdraw spiritual fellowship from him]. 11) You can be sure that such a person is [spiritually] corrupt and sinful, and that he is condemned by his own actions.
12) As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis [Note: Since there were several places by this name, its exact location is unknown], because I plan to spend the winter there. 13) Do all you can [materially] to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they do not [have to] lack anything [they need]. 14) Our people [i.e., the Christians there on Crete] also should learn to practice good deeds for meeting pressing needs, so that they can be productive [in the Lord=s work].
15) All those who are with me send you their greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith [i.e., our fellow Christians].
May God=s unearned favor be with all of you.
Table of Contents
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