1 Timothy 3
1 Faithful is the saying, If any man aspires to supervision, he desires a good work.
Msemo huu ni wa kweli: mtu akitaka kuwa kiongozi katika kanisa, huyo anatamani kazi nzuri.
2 The overseer therefore must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, serious minded, disciplined, loving strangers, able to teach,
Basi, kiongozi wa kanisa anapaswa awe mtu asiye na lawama; anapaswa awe na mke mmoja tu, awe mwenye kiasi, nidhamu na utaratibu; ni lazima awe mkarimu na anayeweza kufundisha;
3 no drunkard, not a fighter, not greedy of base gain, but gentle, noncontentious, no lover of money,
asiwe mlevi au mtu wa matata, bali awe mpole, apendaye amani; asiwe mtu wa kupenda fedha;
4 a man who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all propriety
anapaswa awe mtu awezaye kuongoza vema nyumba yake, na kuwafanya watoto wake wawe watii kwa heshima yote.
5 (but if any man knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of a congregation of God?),
Maana kama mtu hawezi kuongoza vema nyumba yake, atawezaje kulitunza kanisa la Mungu?
6 not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Mtu ambaye hajakomaa bado katika imani asifanywe kuwa kiongozi katika kanisa, asije akajaa majivuno na kuhukumiwa kama vile Ibilisi alivyohukumiwa.
7 And he must also have good testimony from those outside, lest he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Anapaswa awe mwenye sifa njema kati ya watu walio nje ya kanisa, ili asije akalaumiwa na kuanguka katika mtego wa Ibilisi.
8 Helpers likewise, be honorable, not double-tongued, not attending to much wine, not greedy of base gain,
Wasaidizi katika kanisa wanapaswa pia kuwa watu wenye tabia njema na wanyofu; wasiwe wanywaji mno wa divai au wenye tamaa ya fedha;
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
wanapaswa kuzingatia kwa dhamiri njema ukweli wa ndani wa imani.
10 And let these also first be proven, then being blameless, let them serve.
Ni lazima kwanza wathibitishwe, na wakionekana kuwa wanafaa, basi, watoe huduma yao.
11 The wives likewise, be honorable, not slanderous, sober, faithful in all things.
Wake zao wanapaswa pia kuwa na tabia njema, wasiowasengenya watu, wenye kiasi na waaminifu katika mambo yote.
12 Let helpers be husbands of one wife, ruling children and their own houses well.
Msaidizi katika kanisa lazima awe na mke moja tu, na awezaye kuongoza vema watoto wake na nyumba yake.
13 For those who serve well will acquire to themselves a good standing, and much boldness in the faith in Christ Jesus.
Maana wasaidizi wanaofanya kazi yao vizuri hujipatia msimamo mzuri, na wanaweza kusema bila hofu juu ya imani yao katika Kristo Yesu.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee sooner,
Ninakuandikia barua hii nikiwa na matumaini ya kuja kwako hivi karibuni.
15 but if I delay, that thou may know how it is necessary to live in a house of God, which is a congregation of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Lakini kama nikicheleweshwa, basi, barua hii itakufahamisha mwenendo tunaopaswa kuwa nao katika nyumba ya Mungu, ambayo ni kanisa la Mungu aliye hai, na ambalo ni nguzo na msingi wa ukweli.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of piety. God was manifested in flesh, justified in spirit, seen by agents, proclaimed among nations, believed in the world, taken up in glory.
Hakuna mashaka yoyote juu ya ukuu wa siri ya dini yetu: Alionekana katika umbo la kibinadamu alithibitishwa na Roho kuwa ni mwadilifu, akaonekana na malaika. Alihubiriwa kati ya mataifa, aliaminiwa popote ulimwenguni, akachukuliwa juu mbinguni katika utukufu.
