Titus 1 – HTB & NIRV

Het Boek

Titus 1:1-16

1Paulus, dienaar van God en apostel van Jesus Christus, -terwille van het geloof van Gods uitverkorenen en de kennis der waarheid, die in vroomheid wortelt, 2terwille ook van de hoop op het eeuwige leven, dat de waarachtige God vóór eeuwige tijden heeft beloofd, 3en te zijner tijd als zijn woord heeft geopenbaard door de prediking, die mij is toevertrouwd door beschikking van God onzen Zaligmaker: 4aan Titus, zijn rechtgeaard kind in gemeenschappelijk geloof: Genade en vrede van God den Vader, en van Christus Jesus onzen Verlosser. 5Ik heb u op Kreta achtergelaten, opdat ge zoudt voltooien wat nog onafgedaan bleef, en in iedere stad priesters zoudt benoemen, naar de eisen welke ik u heb vastgesteld: 6namelijk slechts iemand, die onberispelijk is, die slechts éénmaal is gehuwd en gelovige kinderen heeft, welke niet van losbandigheid en weerspannigheid worden beschuldigd. 7Want een bisschop moet onberispelijk zijn als huishouder Gods; niet verwaand, niet driftig, geen drinker, geen vechter, niet uit op winstbejag; 8maar gastvrij, deugdzaam, bezonnen, rechtvaardig, vroom en matig; 9hij moet zich houden aan de prediking, die strookt met de ware leer, opdat hij met gezonde onderrichting vermanen kan en de tegensprekers weerleggen. 10Want er zijn veel weerspannigen, holle praters en verleiders, heel in het bijzonder onder de besnedenen. 11Ge moet hun de mond stoppen; anders zetten ze ganse gezinnen overhoop, door onbehoorlijke dingen te leren uit winstbejag. 12Een hunner, hun eigen profeet, zegt: “Kretenzen zijn altijd leugenaars, boos vee, vadsige buiken,” 13en deze getuigenis is waar; daarom moet ge ze streng aanpakken, opdat ze gezond worden in het geloof, 14en zich niet afgeven met joodse fabels en inzettingen van mensen, die de waarheid de rug toekeren. 15Alles is rein voor de reinen; maar voor den onreine en ongelovige is niets rein, doch bij hem is bevlekt èn verstand èn geweten. 16Ze geven voor, God te kennen, maar ze verloochenen Hem door hun gedrag; want ze zijn verfoeilijk, weerspannig en voor geen enkel goed werk geschikt.

New International Reader’s Version

Titus 1:1-16

1I, Paul, am writing this letter. I serve God, and I am an apostle of Jesus Christ. God sent me to help his chosen people believe in Christ more and more. God sent me to help them understand even more the truth that leads to godly living. 2That belief and understanding lead to the hope of eternal life. Before time began, God promised to give that life. And he does not lie. 3Now, at just the right time, he has made his promise clear. He did this through the preaching that he trusted me with. God our Savior has commanded all these things.

4Titus, I am sending you this letter. You are my true son in the faith we share.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.

Choosing Elders Who Love What Is Good

5I left you on the island of Crete. I did this because there were some things that hadn’t been finished. I wanted you to put them in order. I also wanted you to appoint elders in every town. I told you how to do it. 6An elder must be without blame. He must be faithful to his wife. His children must be believers. They must not give anyone a reason to say that they are wild and don’t obey. 7A church leader takes care of God’s family. That’s why he must be without blame. He must not look after only his own interests. He must not get angry easily. He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must not try to get money by cheating people. 8Instead, a church leader must welcome people into his home. He must love what is good. He must control his mind and feelings. He must do what is right. He must be holy. He must control the desires of his body. 9The message as it has been taught can be trusted. He must hold firmly to it. Then he will be able to use true teaching to comfort others and build them up. He will be able to prove that people who oppose it are wrong.

Warning People Who Fail to Do Good

10Many people refuse to obey God. All they do is talk about things that mean nothing. They try to fool others. No one does these things more than the circumcision group. 11They must be stopped. They are making trouble for entire families. They do this by teaching things they shouldn’t. They do these things to cheat people. 12One of Crete’s own prophets has a saying. He says, “People from Crete are always liars. They are evil beasts. They don’t want to work. They live only to eat.” 13This saying is true. So give a strong warning to people who refuse to obey God. Then they will understand the faith correctly. 14Then they will pay no attention to Jewish stories that aren’t true. They won’t listen to the mere human commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15To people who are pure, all things are pure. But to those who have twisted minds and don’t believe, nothing is pure. In fact, their minds and their sense of what is right and wrong are twisted. 16They claim to know God. But their actions show they don’t know him. They are hated by God. They refuse to obey him. They aren’t fit to do anything good.