Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ

My son Titus, 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: if a man be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not being profligate or insubordinate. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth… Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate… But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine …