Titus 3

1 Remind them to be submissive to their rulers and authorities; they must obey, they must be ready for any good work, 2 they must abuse no one, they must not quarrel, but be conciliatory and display perfect gentleness to all men. 3 For we ourselves were once senseless, disobedient, astray, enslaved to all manner of passions and pleasures; we spent our days in malice and envy, we were hateful, and we hated one another. 4 But “the goodness and affection of God our Saviour appeared; 5 and he saved us, not for anything we had done but from his own pity for us, by the water that means regeneration and renewal under the holy Spirit 6 which he poured upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs to the hope of life eternal." 8 It is a sure saying. I want you to insist on this, that those who have faith in God must profess honest occupations. Such counsels are right and good for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversy, and let genealogies and dissensions and strife over the Law alone, for these are fruitless and futile. 10 After a first and a second warning have no more to do with a factious person; 11 you may be sure a man like that is perverted; he is sinning and he knows it. 12 Whenever I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to winter there. 13 Give a hearty send-off to Zenas the jurist and Apollos; see that they want for nothing. 14 Our people must really learn to profess honest occupations, so as to be able to meet such special occasions; they must not be idle. 15 All who are with me salute you. Salute those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.