FROM Paul, a servant of God [the Self-existent] and an ambassador of Jesus the Anointed, based on faith in God’s [the Self-existent’s] Elect [the Sovereign Master] and the acknowledgment of the truth which produces godliness, 

in hope of eternal life which God [the Self-existent] who cannot lie, promised before the idea of the world was conceived,

and which, at the due time, He has made His word apparent by the preaching which is entrusted with me through the command of God [the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit], our Savior:

To Titus, my son in the faith. Grace, mercy and peace from God [the Self-existent], the Father, and Jesus the Anointed, our Savior, be multiplied to you.

My reason for leaving you behind in Crete was to right the wrongs, and, as I directed you, to appoint elders [leaders], in every town:

A prospective elder must be blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of wildness or disobedience,

in that an overseer, as God’s [the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit’s] administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully and not greedy for money, 

but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, upright, holy, self-controlled and

holding to the trustable message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.

The reason is that there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those who pride in circumcision.

It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching what they shouldn’t,  for money.

One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

This is true. So, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith

and not pay attention to Jewish myths and the teachings of men who reject the Truth [the Sovereign Master].

To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 

They profess to acknowledge God [the Self-existent], but they deny Him in action. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for any good work.