Titus 1:8

Church leaders have to be like this, – They have to let visitors stay in their houses. – They have to really want to do good things. – They have to control themselves. – They have to be sensible. – They have to do what is right. – They have to do things that make God happy. – They have to be strong for Jesus.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

In Context

7Church leaders are in charge of God’s work on earth, so they have to be really good people, and then nobody will say anything bad about them. Whenever you pick people to be church leaders, – Don’t pick people that think they are better than everyone else. – Don’t pick people that get angry too easily. – Don’t pick people that drink a lot of grog. – Don’t pick people that get into fights. – Don’t pick greedy people, that want lots of money and things.

9And they have to keep on believing God’s message about Jesus, the message that we told you. That will help a leader teach true and right things to the people. And then that will help the people to believe in Jesus more strongly. Some people say, “That message isn’t true.” But it is true, and a good leader can show those people that they are wrong.

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Cross References

1 Thessalonians 2:10While we were with you mob, we only did things that made God happy. We did things that are good and right. You know that, and God knows it too.

1 Timothy 4:12If some people think you are too young to be their leader, don’t worry. You live the right way yourself, and that will show them that you are a good leader. Then they will see the way a Christian has to live. So talk in the right way, and talk about the right things. And do everything the right way. And love people. And believe strongly in Jesus. And always do what is right. Then everyone will see that you live right, and they will not think you are too young.

2 Timothy 2:22Lots of young people just follow their own feelings, and then they do bad things. But you have to keep away from anything like that. Keep away from anything that will push you into doing something bad. Instead of that, you have to try to do good things, and always trust God, and love people, and don’t fight anyone. Some people live like that. They pray to God, and they only want to do good things. Well, make those people your good friends, and you live like that too.

Matthew Henry on Titus 1:7-16

The Qualifications of a Bishop; The Necessity of Sharp Reproof. ( a. d. 66.) 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 soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, 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… Read the whole commentary →

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