(2 Corinthians 8:16–24)
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Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the chosen ones of God, and an acknowledging of truth that [is] according to piety,
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on hope of continuous life, which God, who does not lie, promised before times of ages
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(and He revealed His word in [His] own times), in preaching, which I was entrusted with, according to a charge of God our Savior,
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to Titus—true child according to a common faith: Grace, [[kindness,]] peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior!
Appointing Elders on Crete
(1 Timothy 3:1–7; 1 Peter 5:1–4)
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For this cause I left you in Crete, that you may arrange the things lacking, and may set elders down in every city, as I appointed to you,
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if anyone is blameless, a husband of one wife, having believing children, not under accusation of riotous living or insubordinate—
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for it is required of the overseer to be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleased, nor prone to anger, not given to wine, not an abuser, not given to shameful gain,
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but a lover of strangers, a lover of [the] good, sober-minded, righteous, holy, self-controlled,
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holding—according to the teaching—to the steadfast word, that he may also be able to exhort in the sound teaching, and to convict the deniers;
Correcting False Teachers
(1 Timothy 1:3–11)
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for there are many both insubordinate, vain-talkers, and mind-deceivers—especially those of the circumcision—
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whose mouths must be covered, who overturn whole households, teaching what things it should not, for [the] sake of shameful gain.
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A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans! Always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies!”
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This testimony is true; for which cause convict them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
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not giving heed to Jewish fables and commands of men, turning themselves away from the truth.
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All things, indeed, [are] pure to the pure, and nothing [is] pure to the defiled and unsteadfast, but even the mind and the conscience of them [is] defiled.
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They profess to know God, but they deny [Him] by their works, being abominable, and disobedient, and disapproved to every good work.
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