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Titus 1

ScriptureDepth's study of Titus 1

“holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.”

Titus 1:9

Paul instructs Titus to hold to the faithful word, which equips him to exhort sound doctrine and confront those who contradict in Crete.

What Titus 1 is about

Paul introduces himself as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (vv. 1-4). He writes to Titus, a true child in faith. Paul left Titus in Crete to set in order what was lacking and to appoint elders in every city (v. 5). The elders must be blameless, having only one wife and faithful children (vv. 6-7). They should be not self-pleasing or angry and must avoid greed. An elder must be hospitable, good, fair, holy, and self-controlled (v. 8). They should hold to sound doctrine (v. 9). Paul warns about many unruly men in Crete who teach things for dishonest gain (vv. 10-11). He quotes a Cretan prophet stating that ‘Cretans are always liars’ (v. 12). Paul says this testimony is true and instructs Titus to reprove them sharply (vv. 13-14). Paul notes that to the pure, all things are pure, but the defiled cannot see truth (vv. 15-16).

False teachers contradict the truth, and believers must hold firmly to sound doctrine.

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Titus 1 at a glance

  1. Titus 1:1–4Introduction and Paul's Authority
  2. Titus 1:5–9Instructions for Appointing Elders
  3. Titus 1:10–14Warning Against False Teachers
  4. Titus 1:15–16Nature of True and False Belief

Key verse: Titus 1:9

One thing to notice

Paul introduces himself in verses 1-4 as 'a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ'. He speaks of his purpose in promoting faith among God's chosen and knowledge of the truth. He addresses Titus, offering grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.

Chapter text

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Introduction and Paul's Authority Titus 1:1–4

Verse 1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, Verse 2. in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began; Verse 3. but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; Verse 4. to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Instructions for Appointing Elders Titus 1:5–9

Verse 5. I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; Verse 6. if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. Verse 7. For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; Verse 8. but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; Verse 9. holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

Warning Against False Teachers Titus 1:10–14

Verse 10. For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, Verse 11. whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake. Verse 12. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.” Verse 13. This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, Verse 14. not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Nature of True and False Belief Titus 1:15–16

Verse 15. To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. Verse 16. They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

World English Bible (public domain)

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Main themes in Titus 1

Leadership in the Church

In vv. 5-9, Paul instructs Titus on the appointment of elders in Crete, emphasizing the need for leaders who are blameless. He specifies that an overseer must not be self-pleasing or easily angered, and instead must demonstrate good character traits. This focus sets a standard for church leadership, showing that qualified leaders are vital for maintaining order and sound faith within the community.

Sound Doctrine

In verses 9 and 14, Paul articulates the necessity of holding to 'the faithful word which is according to the teaching.' He instructs Titus to use this sound doctrine to encourage and correct those who oppose it. The chapter contrasts true belief with deviations from the faith, leading to a call for correction among the Cretans.

False Teaching

In verses 10-13, Paul warns Titus about 'unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers' who threaten the faith of the Cretans. He references a statement from a Cretan prophet, noting that 'Cretans are always liars,' to highlight the difficulty posed by these false teachers. The text calls for sharp reproof to reclaim those who have been misled by false beliefs.

Qualifications for Elders

In vv. 6-9, Paul outlines specific qualifications for elders, starting with the requirement that they be 'blameless' and 'the husband of one wife.' The text details additional character traits expected in leaders, such as being hospitable and self-controlled. This section serves to define the moral and ethical standards necessary for effective church leadership.

Chapter outline

How Titus 1 unfolds

  1. Titus 1:1–4 Introduction and Paul's Authority

    Paul identifies himself as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, establishing his authority and the purpose of his message regarding faith and knowledge in God (vv. 1-3). He addresses Titus, extending greetings of grace, mercy, and peace (v. 4).

  2. Titus 1:5–9 Instructions for Appointing Elders

    Paul instructs Titus to organize church leadership in Crete by appointing elders, detailing the qualifications such as being blameless and having faithful children (vv. 5-6). He also describes the character traits required of an overseer (vv. 7-9).

  3. Titus 1:10–14 Warning Against False Teachers

    Paul warns Titus about false teachers who disrupt households with misleading teachings, emphasizing the need to silence them for the sake of sound faith (vv. 10-11). He cites a Cretan prophet to support his call for sharp reproof against these deceptive influences (vv. 12-13).

  4. Titus 1:15–16 Nature of True and False Belief

    In verses 15-16, the pure see all things as pure, while the defiled and unbelieving have defiled minds and consciences. They claim to know God, yet their deeds reveal them as 'abominable,' 'disobedient,' and 'unfit for any good work.'

Key verses

  • Titus 1:9Paul instructs Titus to hold to the faithful word, which equips him to exhort sound doctrine and confront those who contradict in Crete.

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Study questions

Questions for studying Titus 1

SummarizeObserveInterpretApply

Uses your daily Ask questions.

  1. observeIn v5, what specific task is Paul assigning to Titus in Crete?
  2. observeWhat qualifications for elders are listed in v6?
  3. interpretIn vv. 10-11, what implications arise from the description of the 'unruly men'?
  4. interpretThe phrase 'Cretans are always liars' in v12: how does this statement connect to the overall message Paul conveys?
  5. applyWhen have you encountered someone whose actions contradicted their claims about knowing God, as mentioned in v16?

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Titus 1: frequently asked questions

What is Titus 1 about?+
Paul introduces himself as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (vv. 1-4).
What is the key verse in Titus 1?+
Titus 1:9: “holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.”
What are the main themes of Titus 1?+
The main themes of Titus 1 are Leadership in the Church, Sound Doctrine, False Teaching, Qualifications for Elders.

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Study Notes