Titus 1:6
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. | An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. | if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedPaul begins listing what an elder must be. He must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. The next verse gives the reason: he is to be "the steward of God" (1:7). Titus 1:6Titus 1:7
SpeakingPaul, who calls himself "a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ." Titus 1:1Titus overview
ToTitus, Paul's "own son after the common faith," whom Paul had left in Crete to set the churches in order. Titus 1:4Titus 1:5Titus overview
Also involvedThe men who might be ordained as elders, and their wives and children. Titus 1:5Titus 1:6
This is the first part of the elder's qualifications (1:6-9). It covers his reputation and his family. Paul gives a similar list to Timothy: "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2), and "a good report of them which are without" (1 Timothy 3:7). Titus 1:61 Timothy 3:21 Timothy 3:7
Titus was in Crete, a large Mediterranean island with churches "in every city." The letter does not say where Paul was, but he planned to winter at Nicopolis. Titus overviewTitus 1:5
The eventsThese rules were for the elders Titus would appoint in Crete. The verse gives no date. Titus 1:5
WrittenTraditional: about AD 63-65, after Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment. Scholarly: many hold that a follower wrote the letter in Paul's name about AD 80-100; others accept that Paul wrote it. Titus overview
HereFalse teachers in Crete were "unruly" and upset whole houses (1:10-11). Paul wants leaders whose own homes are in order and whose children are not "unruly" either. Titus 1:6Titus 1:10Titus 1:11
In the whole of ScripturePaul uses the same standard for deacons, who must be "the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well" (1 Timothy 3:12). God's law also set marriage standards for priests (Leviticus 21:7). 1 Timothy 3:12Leviticus 21:7
For readersThose who lead the church are known first at home. Faithfulness in marriage and in raising children is part of a leader's fitness. Titus 1:61 Timothy 3:12
Christians read this differently
Paul's phrase is literally "a man of one woman." Scripture does not explain it further. Some read it as ruling out having more than one wife at once. Some read it as ruling out remarriage after divorce, or after a wife's death. Others read it as a faithful one-woman man, describing his character in marriage rather than his history. Titus 1:6Strong's G1520Strong's G1135HStrong's G0435H1 Timothy 3:2
- blamelessἀνέγκλητος
The word means not to be called to account, unreprovable. It does not mean sinless; it means no charge can rightly be brought against him. Paul repeats it in 1:7. Strong's G0410Titus 1:7
- faithfulπιστός
The word means trusty or faithful, and also believing. Here the children are "faithful," which the lexicon's "believing" sense describes. Strong's G4103
- riotἀσωτία
The word means wastefulness, reckless living. The lexicon lists Ephesians 5:18 and 1 Peter 4:4 as its other uses. Strong's G0810
Takeaway
An elder must be blameless, faithful in marriage, and have a home where children believe and are not known for wild living. A leader's home shows his character. Titus 1:61 Timothy 3:21 Timothy 3:12
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| if | εἴ | ei | G1487G | ifεἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; … |
| anyone | τίς | tis | G5101 | which?τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. … |
| is | ἐστιν | estin | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| blameless, | ἀνέγκλητος, | anegklētos | G0410 | irreproachableἀνέγκλητος (anegklētos) ἀν-έγκλητος, -ον (ἀ-, ἐγκαλέω), [in LXX: 3Ma.5:31 * ;] not to be called to account, unreprovable: 1Co.1:8, Col.1:22, 1Ti.3:10, Tit.1:6-7.† SYN.: ἄμεμπτος, ἀνεπίλημπτος (see Tr., Syn., § ciii; Cremer, 742; MM, VGT, see word) (AS) |
| of one | μιᾶς | mias | G1520 | oneεἷς (ehis) εἷς ιά, ἕν, genitive ἑνός, μιᾶς, ἑνός, cardinal numeral, one; 1. one, as opposite to many: Mat.25:15, Rom.5:12, 1Co.10:8, al.; as subst., Rom.5:15, Eph.2:14; id. with genitive partit., Mat.5:19, al.; before ἐκ (ἐξ), Mrk.14:18, Jhn.6:8, al.; metaphorically, of union and concord, Jhn.10:30 17:11, Rom.12:4-5, Php.1:27; ἀπὸ μιᾶς (B1., § 44, 1), Luk.14:18; with neg., εἷς. . . οὐ (μή), more emphatic than οὐδείς, no one, none (cl.), Mat.5:18 10:29, Luk.11:46 12:6. 2. Emphatically, to the exclusion of others; … |
| wife | γυναικὸς | gunaikos | G1135H | womanγυνή (gunē) γυνή, -αικός, ἡ, [in LXX for אִשָּׁה ;] 1. a woman, married or unmarried: Mat.11:11 14:21, al.; ὕπανδρος γ., Rom.7:2; γ. χήρα, Luk.4:26; in vocat., γύναι implies neither reproof nor severity, but is used frequently as a term of respect and endearment, Mat.15:28, Jhn.2:4, 4:21 19:26. 2. a wife: Mat.1:20, 1Co.7:3, 4 al.; γ. ἀπολύειν, Mrk.10:2, al.; γ. ἔχειν Mrk.6:18; γ. λαβεῖν, Mrk.12:19; γ. γαμεῖν, Luk.14:20. 3. a deaconess, 1Ti.3:11 (CGT, in l.). (AS) |
| [the] husband, | ἀνήρ, | anēr | G0435H | manἀνήρ (anēr) ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ, frequently אֱנוֹשׁ, also אָדָם, etc. ;] a man, Lat. vir. 1. As opposite to a woman, Act.8:12, 1Ti.2:12; as a husband, Mat.1:16, Jhn.4:16, Rom.7:2, Tit.1:6. 2. As opposite to a boy or infant, 1Co.13:11, Eph.4:13, Jas.3:2. 3. In appos. with a noun or adj., as ἀ. ἁμαρτωλός, Luk.5:8; ἀ. προφήτης, 24:19; frequently in terms of address, as ἀ. ἀδελφοί, Act.1:16; and esp. with gentilic names, as ἀ. Ἰουδαῖος, Act.22:3; ἀ. Ἐφέσιοι, 19:35. 4. In general, a man, a male person: = τις, Luk.8:41, Act.6:11. … |
| children | τέκνα | tekna | G5043 | childτέκνον (teknon) τέκνον, -ου, τό (τίκτω), [in LXX chiefly for בֵּן, also for יֶלֶד, etc. ;] that which is begotten, born (cf. Scottish bairn), a child of either sex: Mrk.13:12, Luk.1:7, Act.7:5; pl., Mat.7:11, Mrk.7:27, Luk.1:17, Eph.6:1, al.; τέκνα ἐπαγγελίας, Rom.9:8; τ. τῆς σαρκός, ib.; in a wider sense (as Heb. בָּנִים), of posterity, Mat.2:18, Luk.3:8, al.; specif., of a male child, Mat.21:28, Act.21:21, a,l.; in voc. as a form of kindly address from an elder to a junior or from a teacher to a disciple, Mat.9:2 21:28, Mrk.2:5, Luk.2:48; τ. μου (= cl. τ. μοι; see Bl., §37, 5), Gal.4:19 (τεκνία, WH, txt.) … |
| having | ἔχων | echōn | G2192 | to have/beἔχω (echō) ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; … |
| believing, | πιστά, | pista | G4103 | faithfulπιστός (pistos) πιστός, -ή, -όν (πείθω), [in LXX chiefly for אָמַן ;] I. Pass., to be trusted or believed; 1. of persons, trusty, faithful : Mat.24:45 25:21, 23 Luk.12:42, Act.16:15, 1Co.4:2 4:17 7:25, Eph.1:1 6:21, Col.1:2, 7 4:7, 9, 1Ti.1:12, 2Ti.2:2, Heb.2:17 3:2, 5, 1Pe.5:12, Rev.2:13 19:11; of God, 1Co.1:9 10:13, 2Co.1:18, 1Th.5:24, 2Th.3:3, Heb.10:23 11:11, 2Ti.2:13, 1Jn.1:9, 1Pe.4:19; before ἐν, Luk.16:10-12 19:17, 1Ti.3:11; ἐπί, with accusative, Mat.25:23; ἄχρι θανάτου, Rev.2:10; ὁ μάρτυς ὁ π., Rev.1:5; id. καὶ ἀληθινός, Rev.3:14. … |
| not | μὴ | mē | G3361 | notμή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. … |
| under | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| accusation | κατηγορίᾳ | katēgoria | G2724 | accusationκατηγορία (katēgoria) κατηγορία, -ας, ἡ (κατήγορος), an accusation, charge: with genitive of person(s), Jhn.18:29; before κατά, with id., 1Ti.5:19; with genitive of thing(s), Tit.1:6.† (AS) |
| of debauchery | ἀσωτίας | asōtias | G0810 | debaucheryἀσωτία (asōtia) ἀσωτία, -ας, ή (ἀ- neg., σώζω), [in LXX: Pro.28:7 (זָלַל), 2Ma.6:4 * ;] prodigality, wastefulness, profligacy: Eph.5:18, Tit.1:6, 1Pe.4:4 (MM, see word).† SYN.: ἀσέλγεια, q.v (AS) |
| or | ἢ | ē | G2228 | orἤ (ē) ἤ, disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11); 1. disjunctive, or; (a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.; (b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ . . . ἤ, either . . . or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6; … |
| insubordinate. | ἀνυπότακτα. | anupotakta | G0506 | insubordinateἀνυπότακτος (anupotaktos) ἀνυπότακτος, -ον (ά- neg., ὑποτάσσω) [in Sm.: 1Ki.2:12 10:27 (for LXX, λοιμός, בֵּן בְּלִיַּעַל)* ;] of things, not subject to rule: Heb.2:8; of persons, unruly: 1Ti.1:9, Tit.1:6, 10 (MM, VGT, see word).† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.