1 Timoti 3
1 Akcang pyen ta: Kpami mat naw sangcim üng ngvai a bi hlü hin akdaw säiha ngaihnak ni.
How true is that saying! When a man aspires to be a Presiding-Officer in the Church, he is ambitious for a noble task.
2 Sangcim ngvai cun kbäüeinak am ve yah: a khyu mat däk ve yah khai, a mlung mhnemki, amät nängeiki, dawkyaki, a ima khin khina theiki, mtheinak pi pawh theiki,
The Presiding-Officer should be a man of blameless character; a faithful husband; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skilful teacher,
3 ju käh mpyüiki, ngtun käh pawhki, hniphnawiki, dim’ye lü ngui pi käh jawng na yah khai,
not addicted to drink or brawling, but of a forbearing and peaceable disposition, and not a lover of money;
4 ani cun amäta imkyawng up khawh lü a canae naw leisawng u lü a mtheh pi ngja yah khaie.
he should be a man who rules his own household well, and whose children are kept under control and are well-behaved.
5 Amäta imkyawng up vai am ksingki naw ihawkba Pamhnama sangcim cun msümcei khai ni?
If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how can he take charge of the Church of God?
6 Jumeinak üng ngkhäng lü käh awhcah yah khai, Khawyai cun awhcah lü mkatnak a yaha kba käh thawn khai ni.
The Presiding-Officer should not be a recent convert, that he may not be blinded by pride and fall under the same condemnation as the Devil.
7 Ani cun sangcim k'uma am veki khyange naw ami leisawng üngva Khawyaia mannak hlü üng lät lü a jo pi am se khai ni.
He should also be well spoken of by outsiders, that he may not incur censure and so fall into the snares of the Devil.
8 Sangcim k'uma khüikie pi ngneisak daw lü ngcimcaihki; nguia hnu käh läk lü ju pi käh mpyüihmah yah khai;
So, too, Assistant-Officers should be serious and straightforward men, not given to taking much drink or to questionable money-making,
9 amimi naw mdana ngthungtak cun ksingkhyapnak kcang am kcüng yah khaie ni.
but men who hold the deep truths of the Faith and have a clear conscience.
10 Akcüka sükcetnak kham u lü acun ami lät üng khüi bi yah khaie.
They should be tested first, and only appointed to their Office if no objection is raised against them.
11 Ami khyue pi ami ngneisak daw lü cawkcek käh pawh lü anaküt üng thephya lü mlung mhnemkiea kya yah khaie ni.
It should be the same with the women. They should be serious, not gossips, sober, and trustworthy in all respects.
12 Sangcim üng khüiki cun a khyu mat däk ve yah khai, a canae ja a imkyawng cun akdawa jah up khawh yah khai.
Assistant-Officers should be faithful husbands, and men who rule their children and their households well.
13 Sangcim k'uma khüikie cun akdawa ngdüi tho lü Khritaw Jesuh jumeinaka mawng pi ling lü pyen khawh yah khai.
Those who have filled that post with honour gain for themselves an honourable position, as well as great confidence through the faith that they place in Christ Jesus.
14 Ahina ca ka yuk lawa kba, säng säng se nami veia law lü ning jah hmu khaia äpei veng.
I am writing this to you, though I hope that I shall come to see you before long;
15 Lüpi ka cü üngta ahina ca naw ngthungtak däh lü ktunga kyakia Pamhnama imbung ja xüngseikia Pamhnama sangcim k'uma ihawkba vecawh vai ti cun ning jah ksingsak khai ni.
but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know what your conduct ought to be in the Household of God, which is the Church of the Living God — the pillar and stay of the Truth.
16 Mi hjawkkhah ning ihlawka ngthup lü dämki ti cun u naw pi am kpet khawh: Ani cun nghngicima kba ngdang law lü akcün akha üng Ngmüimkhya naw a ngdansak, khankhawngsä he naw hmukie, ani cun khyangmjüea veia kpyaü hükie, khawmdek lum üng jumei u lü khankhawa kai beki ni.
Yes, and confessedly wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for — ‘He was revealed in our nature, Pronounced righteous in spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Taken up into glory.’
