Outline

• Greetings (1:1-4)
• Concerning Elders (1:5-9)
  • Reasons for Leaving Titus in Crete (1:5)
  • Qualifications of Elders (1:6-9)
• Concerning False Teachers (1:10-16)
• Concerning Various Groups in the Congregations (ch. 2)
  • The Instructions to Different Groups (2:1-10)
  • The Foundation for Christian Living (2:11-14)
  • The Duty of Titus (2:15)
• Concerning Believers in General (3:1-8)
  • Obligations as Citizens (3:1-2)
  • Motives for Godly Conduct (3:3-8)
• Concerning Response to Spiritual Error (3:9-11)
• Conclusion, Final Greetings and Benediction (3:12-15)

Titus 1 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. 

2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. 

3 And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him. 

4 I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace. 

5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. 

6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. 

7 An elder is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. 

8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. 

9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong. 

10 For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. 

11 They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. 

12 Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.”

13 This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. 

14 They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. 

15 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. 

16 Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

Proverbs 12 NLT

1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. 

2 The LORD approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness. 

3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots. 

4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones. 

5 The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous. 

6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives. 

7 The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm. 

8 A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised. 

9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food. 

10 The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel. 

11 A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense. 

12 Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit. 

13 The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble. 

14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. 

15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. 

16 A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. 

17 An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies. 

18 Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. 

19 Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. 

20 Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!

21 No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. 

22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. 

23 The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness. 

24Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.

25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. 

26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. 

27 Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find. 

28 The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.

Summary of the Book of Titus

Summary of the Book of Titus

This summary of the book of Titus provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Titus.

Author

The author is Paul (see 1:1 and note; see also Introduction to 1 Timothy: Author).

Recipient

The letter is addressed to Titus, one of Paul's converts (see 1:4 and note) and a considerable help to Paul in his ministry. When Paul left Antioch to discuss the gospel with the Jerusalem leaders, he took Titus with him (Gal 2:1-3); acceptance of Titus (a Gentile) as a Christian without circumcision vindicated Paul's stand there (Gal 2:3-5). Presumably Titus, who is not referred to in Acts (but is mentioned 13 times in the rest of the NT), worked with Paul at Ephesus during his third missionary journey (see map, p. 1724). It is likely that he was the bearer of Paul's severe letter to the Corinthian church (see Introduction to 2 Corinthians: Occasion). Paul was concerned about the possible negative reaction of the Corinthian church to his severe letter, so he arranged to meet Titus at Troas (2Co 2:12-13). When Titus did not appear, Paul traveled on to Macedonia. There he met Titus and with great relief heard the good news that the worst of the trouble was over at Corinth (2Co 7:6-7,13-14). Titus, accompanied by two Christian brothers, was the bearer of 2 Corinthians (2Co 8:23) and was given the responsibility for making final arrangements for the collection, begun a year earlier, in Corinth (see 2Co 8:6,16-17 and notes).

Following Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment (Ac 28), he and Titus worked briefly in Crete (1:5), after which he commissioned Titus to remain there as his representative and complete some needed work (1:5; 2:15; 3:12-13). Paul asked Titus to meet him at Nicopolis (see map, p. 2487) when a replacement arrived (see 3:12 and note). Later, Titus went on a mission to Dalmatia (see 2Ti 4:10 and note), the last word we hear about him in the NT. Considering the assignments given him, he obviously was a capable and resourceful leader.

Crete

The fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Crete lies directly south of the Aegean Sea (see map and inset, p. 2308; cf. note on 1Sa 30:14; cf. also Paul's experiences there in Ac 27:7-13). In NT times life in Crete had sunk to a deplorable moral level. The dishonesty, gluttony and laziness of its inhabitants were proverbial (1:12).

Occasion and Purpose

Apparently Paul introduced Christianity in Crete when he and Titus visited the island, after which he left Titus there to organize the converts. Paul sent the letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were on a journey that took them through Crete (3:13), to give Titus personal authorization and guidance in meeting opposition (1:5; 2:1,7-8,15; 3:9), instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers. Paul also informed Titus of his future plans for him (3:12).

Place and Date of Writing

Paul possibly wrote from Macedonia, for he had not yet reached Nicopolis (see 3:12). The letter was written after he was released from his first Roman imprisonment (Ac 28), probably between a.d. 63 and 65 -- or possibly at a later date if he wrote after his assumed trip to Spain.

Distinctive Characteristics

Especially significant, considering the nature of the Cretan heresy, are the repeated emphases on loving and doing and teaching "what is good" (1:8,16; 2:3,7,14; 3:1,8,14) and the classic summaries of Christian doctrine (2:11-14; 3:4-7).

Outline

• Greetings (1:1-4)
• Concerning Elders (1:5-9)
  • Reasons for Leaving Titus in Crete (1:5)
  • Qualifications of Elders (1:6-9)
• Concerning False Teachers (1:10-16)
• Concerning Various Groups in the Congregations (ch. 2)
  • The Instructions to Different Groups (2:1-10)
  • The Foundation for Christian Living (2:11-14)
  • The Duty of Titus (2:15)
• Concerning Believers in General (3:1-8)
  • Obligations as Citizens (3:1-2)
  • Motives for Godly Conduct (3:3-8)
• Concerning Response to Spiritual Error (3:9-11)
• Conclusion, Final Greetings and Benediction (3:12-15)

Proverbs 11 NLT

1 The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights. 

2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 

3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. 

4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

5 The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. 

6 The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them. 

7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength. 

8 The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. 

9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. 

10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. 

11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. 

12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. 

13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. 

14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. 

15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt. 

16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. 

17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. 

18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

19 Godly people find life; evil people find death. 

20 The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. 

21 Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free. 

22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. 

23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. 

24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 

25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. 

26People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. 

27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you! 

28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. 

29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise. 

30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends. 

31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?

Proverbs 10 NLT

1 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. 

2 Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. 

3 The LORD will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked. 

4 Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. 

5 A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace. 

6 The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. 

7 We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away. 

8 The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

9 People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. 

10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace. 

11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. 

12 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. 

13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod. 

14 Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster. 

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin. 

17 People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray. 

18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool. 

19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. 

20 The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.

21 The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense. 

22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

23 Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible. 

24 The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted. 

25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. 

26 Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes. 

27Fear of the LORD lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. 

28 The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the LORD is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked. 

30 The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land. 

31The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. 

32 The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.