December 18
Titus 1:1 — Philemon 25
Titus
1
Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of
God’s chosen ones and the accurate knowledge of the truth which accords with
godly devotion
2 upon
the basis of a hope of the everlasting life which God, who cannot lie, promised
before times long lasting,
3 whereas
in his own due times he made his word manifest in the preaching with which I was
entrusted, under command of our Savior, God;
4 to
Titus, a genuine child according to a faith shared in common:
May there be undeserved kindness and peace from
God [the] Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might correct the things that were defective and might make appointments of older men in city after city, as I gave you orders; 6 if there is any man free from accusation, a husband of one wife, having believing children that were not under a charge of debauchery nor unruly. 7 For an overseer must be free from accusation as God’s steward, not self-willed, not prone to wrath, not a drunken brawler, not a smiter, not greedy of dishonest gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sound in mind, righteous, loyal, self-controlled, 9 holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his [art of] teaching, that he may be able both to exhort by the teaching that is healthful and to reprove those who contradict.
10 For there are many unruly men, profitless talkers, and deceivers of the mind, especially those men who adhere to the circumcision. 11 It is necessary to shut the mouths of these, as these very men keep on subverting entire households by teaching things they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: “Cretans are always liars, injurious wild beasts, unemployed gluttons.”
13 This
witness is true. For this very cause keep on reproving them with severity, that
they may be healthy in the faith,
14 paying
no attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn themselves away
from the truth.
15 All
things are clean to clean [persons]. But to [persons] defiled and faithless
nothing is clean, but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
16 They
publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they
are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.
2
You, however, keep on speaking what things are fitting for healthful teaching.
2 Let
the aged men be moderate in habits, serious, sound in mind, healthy in faith, in
love, in endurance.
3 Likewise
let the aged women be reverent in behavior, not slanderous, neither enslaved to
a lot of wine, teachers of what is good;
4 that
they may recall the young women to their senses to love their husbands, to love
their children,
5 to
be sound in mind, chaste, workers at home, good, subjecting themselves to their
own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively.
6 Likewise keep on exhorting the younger men to be sound in mind, 7 in all things showing yourself an example of fine works; showing uncorruptness in your teaching, seriousness, 8 wholesome speech which cannot be condemned; so that the man on the opposing side may get ashamed, having nothing vile to say about us. 9 Let slaves be in subjection to their owners in all things, and please them well, not talking back, 10 not committing theft, but exhibiting good fidelity to the full, so that they may adorn the teaching of our Savior, God, in all things.
11 For
the undeserved kindness of God which brings salvation to all sorts of men has
been manifested,
12 instructing
us to repudiate ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with soundness of
mind and righteousness and godly devotion amid this present system of things,
13 while
we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of
[the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus,
14 who
gave himself for us that he might deliver us from every sort of lawlessness and
cleanse for himself a people peculiarly his own, zealous for fine works.
15 Keep
on speaking these things and exhorting and reproving with full authority to
command. Let no man ever despise you.
3
Continue reminding them to be in subjection and be obedient to governments and
authorities as rulers, to be ready for every good work,
2 to
speak injuriously of no one, not to be belligerent, to be reasonable, exhibiting
all mildness toward all men.
3 For
even we were once senseless, disobedient, being misled, being slaves to various
desires and pleasures, carrying on in badness and envy, abhorrent, hating one
another.
4 However,
when the kindness and the love for man on the part of our Savior, God, was
manifested,
5 owing
to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy
he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of
us new by holy spirit.
6 This
[spirit] he poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 that,
after being declared righteous by virtue of the undeserved kindness of that one,
we might become heirs according to a hope of everlasting life.
8 Faithful
is the saying, and concerning these things I desire you to make firm assertions
constantly, in order that those who have believed God may keep their minds on
maintaining fine works. These things are fine and beneficial to men.
9 But
shun foolish questionings and genealogies and strife and fights over the Law,
for they are unprofitable and futile.
10 As
for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second
admonition;
11 knowing
that such a man has been turned out of the way and is sinning, he being
self-condemned.
12 When
I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your utmost to come to me at Nicopolis,
for there is where I have decided to winter.
13 Carefully
supply Zenas, who is versed in the Law, and Apollos for their trip, that they
may not lack anything.
14 But
let our people also learn to maintain fine works so as to meet their pressing
needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
15 All
those with me send you their greetings. Give my greetings to those who have
affection for us in the faith.
May the undeserved kindness be with all of YOU
people.
Philemon
1 Paul,
a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and Timothy, [our] brother, to
Philemon, our beloved one and fellow worker,
2 and
to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the
congregation that is in your house:
3 May
YOU people have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and [the] Lord
Jesus Christ.
4 I
always thank my God when I make mention of you in my prayers,
5 as
I keep hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and
toward all the holy ones;
6 in
order that the sharing of your faith may go into action by your acknowledging of
every good thing among us as related to Christ.
7 For
I got much joy and comfort over your love, because the tender affections of the
holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 For this very reason, though I have great freeness of speech in connection with Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 I am exhorting you rather on the basis of love, seeing that I am such as I am, Paul an aged man, yes, now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus; 10 I am exhorting you concerning my child, to whom I became a father while in my [prison] bonds, Onesimus, 11 formerly useless to you but now useful to you and to me. 12 This very one I am sending back to you, yes, him, that is, my own tender affections.
13 I would like to hold him back for myself that in place of you he might keep on ministering to me in the [prison] bonds I bear for the sake of the good news. 14 But without your consent I do not want to do anything, so that your good act may be, not as under compulsion, but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps really on this account he broke away for an hour, that you may have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, as a brother beloved, especially so to me, yet how much more so to you both in fleshly relationship and in [the] Lord. 17 If, therefore, you consider me a sharer, receive him kindly the way you would me. 18 Moreover, if he did you any wrong or owes you anything, keep this charged to my account. 19 I Paul am writing with my own hand: I will pay it back—not to be telling you that, besides, you owe me even yourself. 20 Yes, brother, may I derive profit from you in connection with [the] Lord: refresh my tender affections in connection with Christ.
21 Trusting
in your compliance, I am writing you, knowing you will even do more than the
things I say.
22 But
along with that, also get lodging ready for me, for I am hoping that through the
prayers of YOU people I shall be set at liberty for YOU.
23 Sending
you greetings is Epaphras my fellow captive in union with Christ,
24 [also]
Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The
undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ [be] with the spirit YOU people
[show].