Titus 1:7-14

Bible Text

[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; [8] but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober-minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; [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. [10] For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, [11] whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake. [12] One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons." [13] This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, [14] not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Crete is a large Mediterranean island south of Greece, where Titus was serving to establish orderly churches. Its local culture and the influence of “the circumcision party” made sound oversight necessary, since false teachers were disrupting whole households and promoting myths rather than the truth of the gospel.

Places in this passage

Titus 1:7-14 mentions Crete.

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