Titus 1

¹Poul, the seruaunt of God, and apostle of Jhesu Crist, bi the feith of the chosun of God, and bi the knowing of the treuthe,

²whiche is aftir pitee, in to the hope of euerlastinge lijf, which lijf God that lieth not, bihiyte bifore tymes of the world;

³but he hath schewid in hise tymes his word in preching, that is bitakun to me bi the comaundement of `God oure sauyour,

⁴to Tite, most dereworthe sone bi the comyn feith, grace and pees of God the fadir, and of Crist Jhesu, oure sauyour.

⁵For cause of this thing Y lefte thee at Crete, that thou amende tho thingis that failen, and ordeyne preestis bi citees, as also Y disposide to thee.

⁶If ony man is withoute cryme, an hosebonde of o wijf, and hath feithful sones, not in accusacioun of letcherie, or not suget.

⁷For it bihoueth a bischop to be without cryme, a dispendour of God, not proud, not wrathful, not drunkelew, not smytere, not coueytouse of foul wynnyng;

⁸but holdinge hospitalite, benygne, prudent, sobre, iust,

⁹hooli, contynent, takinge that trewe word, that is aftir doctryn; that he be miyti to amoneste in hoolsum techyng, and to repreue hem that ayenseien.

¹⁰For ther ben many vnobedient, and veyn spekeris, and disseyueris, moost thei that ben of circumcisyoun,

¹¹whiche it bihoueth to be repreued; whiche subuerten alle housis, techinge whiche thingis it bihoueth not, for the loue of foul wynnyng.

¹²And oon of hem, her propre profete, seide, Men of Crete ben euere more lyeris, yuele beestis, of slowe wombe.

¹³This witnessyng is trewe. For what cause blame hem sore, that thei be hool in feith,

¹⁴not yyuynge tent to fablis of Jewis, and to maundementis of men, that turnen awei hem fro treuthe.

¹⁵And alle thingis ben clene to clene men; but to vnclene men and to vnfeithful no thing is clene, for the soule and conscience of hem ben maad vnclene.

¹⁶Thei knoulechen that thei knowen God, but bi dedis thei denyen; whanne thei ben abhominable, and vnbileueful, and repreuable to al good werk.

Titus 1

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.

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.

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.