Titus 1

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

AI-assisted, sourced

Paul greets Titus and tells him why he was left in Crete: to "set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city." He lists what an elder must be, beginning with "blameless," and warns of "unruly and vain talkers and deceivers" who teach "for filthy lucre's sake" and must be rebuked sharply. Titus 1:5 Titus 1:6 Titus 1:7 Titus 1:10 Titus 1:11 Titus 1:13

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

Paul, "a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ," writes to Titus, "mine own son after the common faith." The chapter speaks of elders to be ordained and of deceivers, "specially they of the circumcision." Titus 1:1 Titus 1:4 Titus 1:5 Titus 1:10

Where

Crete, where Paul had left Titus, with churches "in every city." Crete is a large island in the Mediterranean south of Greece. Titus 1:5 Crete Titus overview

When

Traditionally about AD 63-65, between 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. Many scholars date it later, about AD 80-100. Titus overview

How it fits

As the letter's opening, this chapter sets the work: elders who hold "the faithful word" and false teachers to be silenced. Chapter 2 begins, "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine." Titus 1:9 Titus 1:11 Titus 2:1

Key verses

Verse 5
Titus was left in Crete to "ordain elders in every city." Acts 14:23 records the same practice: "when they had ordained them elders in every church." Titus 1:5 Acts 14:23
Verse 9
An elder must hold "fast the faithful word as he hath been taught," so that he can "by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:9
Verse 16
"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him." 1 John 2:4 likewise says one who claims to know him and does not keep his commandments "is a liar." Titus 1:16 1 John 2:4

Takeaway

Churches need leaders of proven character who hold to sound teaching, because what people do shows whether they truly know God. Titus 1:6 Titus 1:9 Titus 1:16

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-10-29.

Greeting

¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; ²In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; ³But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; ⁴To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Elders for every city

⁵For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: ⁶If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; ⁸But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; ⁹Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

False teachers in Crete

¹⁰For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: ¹¹Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. ¹²One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. ¹³This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; ¹⁴Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. ¹⁵Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. ¹⁶They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.