Titus 1:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

NIV: They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

NASB: They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

CSB: They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

NLT: 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.

KJV: They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

NKJV: They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

These are Paul's final words regarding Crete's false teachers. He clearly does not consider these phony figures to be true believers in Christ. They claimed to know God, but their actions proved they were not genuine believers. Christians can never be entirely sure of what is happening in another person's heart (1 Samuel 16:7). However, we can gauge others' actions to see if they're compatible with a redeemed life (1 John 1:6; James 2:26). In this case, Paul sees no reason to think these men are truly saved.

Paul states three additional characteristics of these false teachers: Calling these men "detestable" connected with the Jewish teaching of those who had not kept the Torah. For example, Jews who ate unclean food were called detestable (Leviticus 7:21), as were false gods and idols (2 Chronicles 15:8). These men claimed to obey God, yet Paul called them "disobedient." They were ultimately hypocrites, teaching obedience while living in disobedience themselves. Third, as a result, they were "unfit for any good work." These men stood in contrast with godly elders (Titus 1:5–9), who were to be above reproach and known for their good works.

Titus 1:10–16 explains the proper way to deal with false teachers. On the island of Crete, some men taught that circumcision was required for Christians, which caused entire families to fall apart in argument. Titus is commanded to counter these claims strongly—to “rebuke them sharply.” The purpose of this response was to lead people to correct doctrine.

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.