THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO TITUS. CHAP. I. PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, (as to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledgment 2 of the truth which is according to godliness; in hope of everlasting life, which God, who cannot lie, promised 3 before the ancient dispensations; and in due time hath manifested his word through that preaching which hath been committed unto me, according to the appointment 4 of God our Saviour;) to Titus, my own son as to the common faith*: favour, mercy, and peacet from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. 5 For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest set right the things which are wanted, and appoint elders 6 in every city, as I directed thee: if any one be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, having believing children, who are not under accusation of dissoluteness, or disobe7 dient. For the bishopt must be irreproachable, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not a * Or, my true son according to our common faith. + peace be to him, N. ‡ a bishop, N. Or, a superintendant, the same as a presbyter or elder. See ver. 5, and Acts xx. 17. 28. continuer at the wine, not a striker, not greedy of base 8 gains*; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, 9 self-governedt, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the true word as he hath been taught, that he may be able both to exhort by sound doctrinet, and to confute the gainsayers. 10 For many are disobedient, vain-talkers, and deceivers, 11 especially those of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole families, teaching things 12 which they ought not, for the sake of base gain. One of themselves, a poet|| of their own, hath said, "The 13 Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons." This witness is true: wherefore reprove them sharply, that they 14 may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from 15 the truth. To the pure all things are pure: but to those that are defiled, and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but 16 even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God: but in their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. CH. 11. But speak thou the things which become sound doc2 trine; that the aged men be sober, grave, self-governed**; 3 sound in faith, in love, in patience: that the aged women in like manner be in behaviour as becometh holy persons, not false accuserstt, not enslaved ‡‡ to much wine, 4 teachers of good things; that they may instruct the young 5 women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-governed**, chaste, keepers at home, good, submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God be 6 not evil spoken of. In like manner exhort the young 7 men to be self-governed: in all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorrupt * filthy lucre, N. See ver. 11. Or, by wholesome teaching. ** Or, discreet; Gr, prophet, N. m. tt Gr. devils. † Or, discreet. ¶ slow gluttons, N. # Or, addieted, N. m. 8 ness, gravity, sound speech which cannot be condemned; that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed, 9 having no evil thing to say of us*. Exhort servants to submit themselves to their own masters, and to please 10 them well in all things, not contradicting, not thievingt, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11 For the favour & of God hath appeared, which bringeth 12 salvation to all men, teaching us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and live soberly, and righteously, and religiously, in this present world || ; 13 looking for the happy end of our hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus 14 Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem** us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar 15 people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Сн. ш. Put men in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good 2 work, to speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, but 3 gentle, shewing all meekness to all men. For we ourselves also were formerly unwise, disobedient, deceived, slaves to various desirestt and pleasures, living in mali4 ciousness and envy, odious, and hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Saviour and his love to5 ward man appeared; he saved us‡‡, not by works of justification |||| which we did, but according to his mer * of you, R. T. ↑ Or, gracious gospel, N. m. + Or, embezzling, Or, this present age, or life. Or, our blessed hope, N. m. ** Or, deliver. tt many evil desires, N. # he delivered us from our heathen state, and introduced us to the privileges of the gospel. not by submission to the Mosaic ritual. The apostle treats this subject at large in the Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians. See Rom. iii. 28; v. 1. cy, by the washing of regeneration*, and the renova6 tion of the holy spirit†; which he shed on us richly, 7 through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, having been justified through his favour, we might become heirs as 8 to the hope of everlasting life. These are true words, and these things I will that thou strongly affirm; so that those who have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works. These are the things which are good 9 and profitable among men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strifes about the 10 law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Reject || a fomenter of divisions, after the first and second ad11 monition; knowing that such an one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned. 12 When I shall send to thee Artemas, or Tychicus, endeavour to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have de13 termined to winter there. Diligently conduct on their way Zenas the former teacher of the law, and Apollos; 14 that nothing may be wanted by them. And let our dis ciples also learn to maintain good works for necessary 15 uses; that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Salute those who love us in the faith. The favour of God be with you all. * that is, by Christian baptism, by which the convert publicly professes faith in Christ, and becomes entitled to the privileges of the gospel covenant, and is, as it were, born into a new world. † that is, by the gifts of the holy spirit, which prove that the believer is really introduced into this new covenant, and admitted into the family of God. See Rom. viii. 16. "renewing of our minds through the holy spirit," N. † Or, may study to be foremost in good works. Wakefield. || Or, have no company with. Lindsey's Hist, View, p. 132. fuge, Schleusner. Sce Rosenmuller. an heretic, N. See Wakefield. 1 Cor. xi. 19. Rom. xvi. 17. THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAULL TO PHILEMΟΝ. PAUL, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved, and our fellow-la2 bourer, and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house: 3 favour be to you and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in 5 my prayers, (hearing of thy faith and love, which thou 6 hast toward the Lord Jesus, and to all the saints,) that thy partaking of the faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is among ust as 7 concerning Christ (Jesus). For we have great joy and comfort on account of thy love, because the mindst of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. 8 Wherefore, though I have much freedom of speech in 9 Christ to enjoin thee what is fit; yet because of my love, I rather beseech thee, as Paul|| the aged, and now a pri 10 soner also for Jesus Christ, I beseech thee, for my son * the church which assembleth, N. in the margin, congregation. † among you, R. T. Or, in the character of Paul, N. m. + So Wakefield. Gr. bowels, N. 1 beseech thee, I say, for my son Onesimus, whom, etc. N. |