001:006 wherever there is a man of blameless life, true to his one wife,
having children who are themselves believers and are free
from every reproach of profligacy or of stubborn self-will.
001:007 For, as God's steward, a minister must be of blameless life,
not over-fond of having his own way, not a man of a passionate
temper nor a hard drinker, not given to blows nor greedy of gain,
001:008 but hospitable to strangers, a lover of goodness, sober-minded, upright, saintly, self-controlled;
001:009 holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received,
so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others
with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.
001:010 For there are many that spurn authority—idle, talkative and
deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents
of the Circumcision.
001:011 You must stop the mouths of such men, for they overthrow
the faith of whole families, teaching what they ought not,
just for the sake of making money.
001:012 One of their own number—a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs—
has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals,
idle gluttons."
001:013 This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them,
that they may be robust in their faith,
001:014 and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men
who turn their backs on the truth.
001:015 To the pure everything is pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving
nothing is pure, but on the contrary their very minds and
consciences are polluted.