Titus 1:5
New International Version
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

New Living Translation
I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you.

English Standard Version
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

Berean Standard Bible
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Berean Literal Bible
On account of this I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things lacking and might appoint elders in every town, as I directed you,

King James Bible
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

New King James Version
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—

New American Standard Bible
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

NASB 1995
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

NASB 1977
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Legacy Standard Bible
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Amplified Bible
For this reason I left you behind in Crete, so that you would set right what remains unfinished, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Christian Standard Bible
The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town:

American Standard Version
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For this reason I had left you in Crete, that you might set right those things that are lacking, and ordain Elders in each city just as I ordered you:

Contemporary English Version
I left you in Crete to do what had been left undone and to appoint leaders for the churches in each town. As I told you,

Douay-Rheims Bible
For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

English Revised Version
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I left you in Crete to do what still needed to be done-appointing spiritual leaders in every city as I directed you.

Good News Translation
I left you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that still needed doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember my instructions:

International Standard Version
The reason I left you in Crete was to complete what still needed to be done and to appoint elders in every city, as I myself commanded you.

Literal Standard Version
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,

Majority Standard Bible
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

New American Bible
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,

NET Bible
The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

New Revised Standard Version
I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you:

New Heart English Bible
I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

Webster's Bible Translation
For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Weymouth New Testament
I have left you behind in Crete in order that you may set right the things which still require attention, and appoint Elders in every town, as I directed you to do;

World English Bible
I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you—

Young's Literal Translation
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that the things lacking thou mayest arrange, and mayest set down in every city elders, as I did appoint to thee;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Appointing Elders on Crete
4To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.…

Cross References
Acts 11:30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

Acts 27:7
After sailing slowly for many days, we arrived off Cnidus. When the wind impeded us, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

Acts 27:12
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, if somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest.

Acts 27:13
When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.

1 Corinthians 4:17
That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

Titus 1:12
As one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."


Treasury of Scripture

For this cause left I you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:

I left.

1 Timothy 1:3
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

Crete.

Acts 2:11
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Acts 27:7,12,21
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; …

set.

1 Chronicles 6:32
And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.

Ecclesiastes 12:9
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Isaiah 44:7
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

wanting, or, left undone.

Acts 14:23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Jump to Previous
Amend Appoint Appointed Arrange Attention Authority Cause Charge Churches City Crete Defective Directed Elders Establish Lacking Mayest Mightest Necessary Ordain Order Placing Reason Require Right Shouldest Shouldst Straighten Wanting
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Amend Appoint Appointed Arrange Attention Authority Cause Charge Churches City Crete Defective Directed Elders Establish Lacking Mayest Mightest Necessary Ordain Order Placing Reason Require Right Shouldest Shouldst Straighten Wanting
Titus 1
1. Paul greets Titus, who was left to finish the work in Crete.
6. How those chosen as ministers ought to be qualified.
11. The mouths of evil teachers to be stopped;
12. and what manner of men they be.














(5) For this cause left I thee in Crete.--The "cause" is discussed below. Crete--over whose Christian population Titus had been placed by St. Paul--was a well-known large and populous island in the Mediterranean. It lies geographically further south than any of the European islands, and, roughly speaking, almost at an equal distance from each of the three Old World continents--Europe, Asia, Africa. We identify it with the Caphtor of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 2:23; Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7). In modern times it is known by us as Candia. Very early it was the scene of an advanced civilisation. In the Odyssey it is mentioned as possessing ninety cities; in the Iliad as many as one hundred. Metellus added it, B.C. 69, to the Roman dominion. In the days of Augustus it was united into one province with Cyrene. It abounded with Jews of wealth and influence; this we learn from the testimony of Philo and of Josephus. It probably received the gospel from some of those of "Crete" who we are expressly told were present when the Spirit was poured on the Apostles on the first Pentecost after the Resurrection (Acts 2:11). The apparently flourishing state of Christianity on the island at this time was in great measure, no doubt, owing to the residence and labours among them of the Apostle St. Paul, whose work appears to have been mainly directed to preaching the gospel and to increasing the number of the converts, which, from the wording of Titus 1:5, was evidently very great, elders (presbyters) being required in every city.

The task of organising the Church had been left for a season. We are ignorant of the circumstance which summoned the old Apostle from the scene of what seems to have been most successful labours. He left behind him one of the ablest of his disciples, Titus--a tried and well-known Christian leader of the second half of the first century--to organise the church life and to regulate the teaching of the powerful and numerous Christian community of Crete. . . .

Verse 5. - Were for are, A.V.; appoint for ordain, A.V.; gave thee charge for had appointed thee, A.V. Left I thee in Crete. We have no account of St. Paul's visit to Crete, nor do we know how the gospel was first brought to Crete. It may have been by some of those "Cretes" who were at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, and heard the apostles speak in their tongue "the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:11), or by other Christian Jews visiting the Jewish community in Crete (note to ver. 1). If St. Paul was returning from Spain, and travelling by ship eastward, Crete would be on his way. The importance of the island, with which he made some acquaintance on his voyage from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27:7, 8), and the large Jewish colony there, may naturally have inclined him to visit it. How long he remained there we do not know, but he did not stay long enough to organize the Church there completely. There were still things "wanting" (τὰ λείποντα), as it follows. This mention of Crete is an important chronological mark. The order of St. Paul's progress, as gathered from the three pastoral Epistles, is very distinct - Crete, Miletus, Troas, Macedonia, Corinth, Nicopolis, Rome. He dropped Titus at Crete, and left Timothy behind at Ephesus. The Epistle to Titus, therefore, is the first of the three pastoral Epistles, and this is borne out by another circumstance. When he wrote to Titus he had not made up his mind whether he should send Artemas or Tychicus to take his place in Crete when he rejoined the apostle (Titus 3:12). But when he wrote 2 Timothy he had sent Tychicus to Ephesus to replace Timothy (2 Timothy 4:12), and Titus had already joined him, and been sent on by him to Dalmatia, presumably from Nicopolis. Set in order (ἐπιδιορθώσῃ); only here in the New Testament, and not found in the LXX. nor in classical Greek, except as a technical word in the art of rhetoric. But διορθόω is very common in classical Greek (see ἐπανόρθωσις, 2 Timothy 3:16). The force of ἐπί in the compound here is "further," or "in addition." St. Paul had set the Church in order up to a certain point. But there were still certain things wanting, τὰ λείποντα (see Titus 3:13; Luke 18:22); and these Titus was to supply and give the finishing touch to. Appoint (καταστήσῃς). This is a better rendering than the A.V. "ordain," because it is a general word for "to appoint, make." Probably the A.V. "ordain" was not intended to be taken in a strictly technical sense, but is used as in Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 8:3. The technical word was usually "to order." "The Ordering of Deacons," or "of Priests," is the title of the service in the Book of Common Prayer. "Meet to be ordered," "shall surcease from ordering," occur repeatedly in the rubrics, Elders (πρεσβυτέρους); i.e. presbyters, or priests (comp. Acts 14:23; and see Acts 11:30, note). In every city (κατὰ πόλιν); city by city. The phrase has a peculiar significance in Crete, which used to be famous for its hundred cities. It shows, too, that Christianity was widely spread among the cities of the island. The germ of the episcopal office, one bishop and many presbyters, is here very conspicuous.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
The reason
χάριν (charin)
Preposition
Strong's 5484: Accusative case of charis as preposition; through favor of, i.e. On account of.

I left
ἀπέλιπόν (apelipon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 620: From apo and leipo; to leave behind; by implication, to forsake.

you
σε (se)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Crete
Κρήτῃ (Krētē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2914: Crete. Of uncertain derivation; Crete, an island in the Mediterranean.

[was] that
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

you would set in order
ἐπιδιορθώσῃ (epidiorthōsē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1930: From epi and a derivative of orthos; to straighten further, i.e. arrange additionally.

what was
τὰ (ta)
Article - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

unfinished
λείποντα (leiponta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3007: A primary verb; to leave, i.e. to fail or be absent.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

appoint
καταστήσῃς (katastēsēs)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2525: From kata and histemi; to place down, i.e. to designate, constitute, convoy.

elders
πρεσβυτέρους (presbyterous)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4245: Comparative of presbus; older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist or Christian 'presbyter'.

in every
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

town,
πόλιν (polin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4172: A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.

as
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

I
ἐγώ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

directed
διεταξάμην (dietaxamēn)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1299: To give orders to, prescribe, arrange. From dia and tasso; to arrange thoroughly, i.e. institute, prescribe, etc.

you.
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.


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NT Letters: Titus 1:5 I left you in Crete for this (Ti. Tt.)
Titus 1:4
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