Titus 1:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,

NIV: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness--

NASB: Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

CSB: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

NLT: 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.

KJV: Paul, 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;

NKJV: Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

Titus begins with a standard letter-writing format, which included the sender, recipient, and a greeting. The sender is Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, who was formerly known as Saul (Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1–3). He encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, where he planned to arrest Christians. Instead, Saul believed in Jesus, changed his name to Paul, and was baptized (Acts 9). Thirteen of Paul's letters are included in the New Testament, known as the Pauline Epistles (Romans through Philemon). These make up nearly half of the books of the New Testament.

Paul considered himself "a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ." The Greek term Paul used is doulos, which means a "slave," or a "bond-servant." As a willing servant, Paul was bound to follow God's commands. Paul also claims to be an apostle—from a Greek word meaning "sent one"—and a missionary of the good news of Jesus as the Messiah. He served "for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth," a phrase referring to Christians and their spiritual growth. He served in a way "which accords with godliness," meaning one which would be approved by God.

Titus 1:1–4 introduces the letter from Paul to Titus, who was left on Crete in order to oversee the churches there. Paul refers to himself as a “bond-servant,” or “slave” of Jesus Christ. He makes it clear that Titus and Paul share a common faith, and a common Savior.

Chapter 1 introduces the letter from Paul to Titus. Paul describes the requirements for being appointed a church leader, such as an elder or pastor. The text then transitions into a description of how to “rebuke” false teachers. These are the requirements Paul expects Titus to follow when selecting leaders for the local churches of Crete.

Chapter 1 focuses on the character traits of a church leader, contrasted to the immoral culture of Crete. Specific instructions are given for elders, and a means for dealing with false teachers. Chapter 2 explains the ideal traits of church members, especially in their acts towards each other. Chapter 3 will focus on the relationship between Christians and their surrounding culture.

The book of Titus is a letter written by the apostle Paul, to a Christian leader on the island of Crete. This is one of Paul’s three Pastoral Epistles, where he offers instructions to younger believers caring for large groups of others. Paul uses the book of Titus to emphasize the importance of selecting church elders carefully. Many of the topics discussed in Titus are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. Though the details of this message are specifically for Titus, and the believers of Crete, they offer insight useful for churches today.