1 Timothy 3

1 The word [is] steadfast: If anyone longs for overseership, he desires a right work;

Lithembekile ilizwielithi: Uba umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, ufisa umsebenzi omuhle;

2 it is required, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, a husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, respectable, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

ngakho kumele ukuthi umbonisi abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda yomfazi munye, ozithintayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ophatha kuhle izihambi, olelisu lokufundisa;

3 not given to wine, not a striker, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,

angabi yisidakwa, angabi ngothanda ukulwa, anganxwaneli inzuzo embi, kodwa abe mnene, angabi ngothanda ukuxabana, angabi ngothanda imali;

4 leading his own house well, having children in subjection with all dignity,

ephatha kuhle owakhe umuzi, elabantwana abalalela ngenhlonipho yonke,

5 (and if anyone has not known [how] to lead his own house, how will he take care of an assembly of God?)

ngoba uba umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaligcina njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu?

6 not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the Devil;

Kangabi ngosanda ukukholwa, hlezi ngokukhukhunyezwa awele ekulahlweni kukadiyabhola.

7 and it is required of him also to have a good testimony from those outside, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil.

Kumele futhi ukuthi abe lobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, hlezi awele ekuthukweni lemjibileni kadiyabhola.

8 Servants, in like manner, dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to shameful gain,

Ngokunjalo abadikoni bahlonipheke, bangabi ndimimbili, bangananzi iwayini elinengi, bangafisi inzuzo embi,

9 having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,

babambe imfihlo yokholo esazeleni esimhlophe.

10 and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.

Laba-ke kabaqale bahlolwe, okulandelayo kabakhonze uba bengasoleki.

11 Women, in like manner, dignified, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.

Ngokunjalo omkabo babe ngabahloniphekayo, abanganyeyiyo, abazithintayo, bethembekile ezintweni zonke.

12 Servants—let them be husbands of one wife, leading the children well, and their own houses,

Abadikoni kababe ngamadoda amfazi munye, aphatha kuhle abantwana leyawo imizi.

13 for those who ministered well acquire a good step to themselves, and much boldness in faith that [is] in Christ Jesus.

Ngoba abakhonze kuhle bazizuzela isimilo esihle, lesibindi esikhulu ekholweni olukuKristu Jesu.

14 I write to you these things, hoping to come to you soon,

Lezizinto ngikubhalela zona, ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane;

15 and if I delay, that you may know how it is required to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God—a pillar and foundation of the truth,

kodwa uba ngibambeka, ukuze wazi ukuthi kufanele uziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu, elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.

16 and confessedly, great is the secret of piety: who was revealed in flesh, declared righteous in [the] Spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!

Kuyavunywa-ke ukuthi yinkulu imfihlo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu: UNkulunkulu wabonakaliswa enyameni, wathiwa ulungile kuMoya, wabonwa zingilosi, watshunyayelwa ezizweni, wakholeka emhlabeni, wenyuselwa ebukhosini.