Bible Strands
Titus 1:7
As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul instructs Titus on the transition from the household qualifications of an elder to the public qualifications of a church overseer. The directive addresses local church leadership standards during the establishment of organized congregations in Crete.
The words — ἐπισκοπον (episkopon) = overseer and ἀνεγκλητον (anegklēton) = blameless. These terms establish the office and the non-negotiable moral baseline for the role.
The thread — The stewardship language echoes 1 Peter 4:10, which commands believers to serve as good stewards of God’s grace. The warnings against drunkenness and reckless behavior parallel Ephesians 5:18 and the fleshly indulgence condemned in 2 Peter 2:10.
Why it lands — The text demands that leaders exhibit self-governance and financial integrity rather than relying on personal authority or emotional reactivity. It requires readers to evaluate leadership claims against concrete behavioral standards, not spiritual titles.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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;
Cross-references
- Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- 2 Peter 2:10 Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
- 1 Peter 4:10 As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- 1 Peter 5:2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
- Luke 12:42 And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?
- James 1:19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Proverbs 14:17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated.
- Isaiah 28:7 These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
- Ezekiel 44:21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
- 1 Timothy 3:1 This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.