1 Paul, 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 according to godliness,

2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began,

3 but hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior,

4 To Titus, my own son in the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 For this cause I left 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:

6 if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not selfwilled, not quick to anger, not given to wine, not violent, not given to filthy lucre;

8 but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate,

9 holding 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.

10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the Circumcision,

11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of filthy lucre.

12 One among themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, "The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slothful gluttons."

13 This witness is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.

15 Unto the pure, all things are pure; but unto those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

16 They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

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Paul states again here the requirements for being a "bishop" in the church of God.  A man should have only been married once. His children should be well behaved and trained in a Godly manner.  They must not drink, or be violent.  The list goes on.

We read in many of the epistles of Paul how both men and women are to behave.  To set good examples for others to follow.  As Christians we can not and must not take the attitude of, "do as I say, not as I do."  One can not lead properly when setting a bad example.  We must separate ourselves from the temptations and down-fallings of this world.

Blessings, Alice