Titus 1:7 (ASV)

Passage

For the bishop must be blameless, as God`s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Nearby Context

Titus 1:5 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;

Titus 1:6 if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly.

Titus 1:7 For the bishop must be blameless, as God`s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Titus 1:8 but given to hospitality, as lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;

Titus 1:9 holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "bishop", "must", "blameless", "steward", "self-willed", "soon", "angry", and "brawler". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "bishop" and "must", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "if any man is blameless the husband..." into verse 8's "but given to hospitality as lover of...", so "bishop" and "must" belong inside that flow. In Titus context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "bishop" and "must" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.