TI'TUS. One of the most trusted and de voted of the disciples and fellow-wworke•s of the Apostle Paul. Nothing is said of Titus in the Acts, and all we know of him is contained in scattered notices in Paul's Epistles, especially Galatians and 11. Corinthians. He was of Gen tile origin (Gal. ii. 3), converted to Christianity through Paul (Tit. i. 4), and was one of the brethren taken along by Paul and Barnahas on their mission from the church of Antioch to the mother church of Jerusalem at the time of the Apostolic Council (c.49 A.D. ; cf. Gal. ii. 1 and Acts xv. 2). At Jerusalem, though he was un circumcised, be appears to have been allowed to mingle freely with members of the mother church. It is reasonable to suppose that lie re turned to Antioeh with Paul and accompanied him thence on his third missionary journey. From the notices in II. Corinthians we learn that he was sent by Paul from Ephesus on two, perhaps three, missions to Corinth, hearing let ters and intrusted with the management of delicate and important business. In all re spects he was completely successful. The Co rinthians contributed liberally toward the great collection Paul was raising for the Jerusalem church, willingly obeyed Paul's injunctions in regard to eases of discipline, and evidenced most sincere love and loyalty to the Apostle. These results were supremely satisfactory to Titus and his report to Paul, who had left Ephesus (spring of A.D. 55) expecting to meet Titus at
Troas, but, disappointed in this, had pressed on anxiously into Macedonia, so cheered the Apostle that he at once sent back the warm hearted message contained in II. Cor.
We know no more of Titus's movements until the time of the letter written to him by Paul. The date of this Epistle, presupposing its gen uineness, must be placed between Paul's first and second imprisonments. (See NEW TESTA MENT CIIIIONOLOta% ) Titus had accompanied Paul to Crete, where he had been left by the .Apostle to further organize the churches there planted. He was summoned thence to join Paul at Nicopolis where Paul planned to winter. We do not know whether this plan was carried out. Titus is next mentioned in H. Timothy (iv. 10), the last of Paul's letters, as having departed, presumably from Rome, for Dalmatia. Nothing more is said of Titus in the New Testament. Time impression made by the references given is that he was a true and capable assistant to the great Apostle, one of the foremost of that circle of loyal disciples through whom Paul accom plished his great work. Tradition makes him Bishop of Crete, but of this there is no early evidence.