⁵ 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. ⁶ An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife,^[a] and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. ⁷ A church leader^[b] is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker,^[c] violent, or dishonest with money.

⁸ Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. ⁹ He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

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