Titus 1:12
“One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul cites a Cretan poet's own harsh verdict on his people: that Cretans are habitual liars, brutish, and lazy gluttons.
What Does Titus 1:12 Mean?
To describe the moral climate Titus faces, Paul quotes a famous saying attributed to a Cretan poet of old. The line is unsparing: it accuses Cretans of constant lying, beastly behavior, and lazy self-indulgence. Paul lets one of their own respected voices speak the indictment rather than leveling it himself.
This is not contempt for a people but realism about a culture's besetting sins, the very habits the gospel must confront. Paul names the problem so the cure can be applied. For the reader, the verse is a reminder that the gospel meets people in real cultures with real weaknesses, including our own. No background is beyond the reach of God's transforming grace, but transformation begins with honesty about what needs to change. Even hard truths are spoken here in service of the churches' health.