¶ Paul the servant of God and an Apostle of Iesu Christ, to preach the faith of goddis elect, and the knowledge of that truth, which truth is in serving God in hope of eternal life, which life God cannot lie, hath promissed before the world began: but hath at the time appointed opened his word by preaching, which preaching is committed unto me, by the commandment of God our saviour.
¶ To Titus his natural son in the common faith.
¶ Grace mercy and peace from God the father, and from the Lord Iesu Christ our saviour.
¶ For this cause left I thee in Creta, that thou shouldest perform that which was lacking and shouldest ordain seniors in every city as I appointed thee. If any be such as no man can complain on, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, which are not sclandred of riot, neither are disobedient. For a bishop must be such as no man can complain on, as it be cometh the minister of God not stubborn, not angry, no drunkard, no fighter, not given to filthy lucre: but harbourous, one that loveth goodness, of honest behavior, righteous, holy temperate, and such as cleaveth unto the true word of doctrine, that he may be able to exhort with wholesome learning, and to improve them that say against it.
¶ For there are many disobedient and talkers of vanity, and deceivers of minds, namely they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, which pervert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, because of filthy lucre. One being of themselves, which was a poet of their own said: The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and slowbellies. This witness is true, wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, and not taking heed to jewes fables, and commandments of men, which turn from the truth. Unto the pure, are all things pure: but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure: but even the very minds and consciences of them are defiled. They confess that they know God: but with deeds they deny him and are abominable, and disobedient, and unto all good works discommendable.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526