Timoteo 1 3
1 Enye nyateƒenya be ne ame aɖe di be yeawɔ hamedzikpɔla ƒe dɔ la, etia dɔ nyuitɔ.
IT is a true saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desireth a laudable employment.
2 Azɔ la, ele na hamedzikpɔla be wòanye mokakamanɔŋutɔ, nyɔnu ɖeka ko srɔ̃, ame si fa tu, ɖokuidziɖula, ame si ŋu bubu le, amedzrowɔla, ame si nya nufiafia
A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching;
3 menye ahatsunola o, menye ame si wɔa nu gbodogbodo o, ke boŋ ewɔa nu le bɔbɔenyenye me, menye dzrewɔla alo galɔ̃la o.
not addicted to wine, not using hard words or blows, not greedy of base gain; but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 Ele vevie be wòanye ame si kpɔa eƒe aƒe dzi nyuie, eye vi ɖotowo le esi.
presiding over his own family with propriety, having his children under subjection with all gravity of behaviour:
5 (Elabena ne ŋutsu aɖe mate ŋu akpɔ eƒe aƒe sue la dzi be woanɔ agbe nyui o la, aleke wòawɔ akpɔ Mawu ƒe hame dzi?)
for if a man knoweth not how to order his own family, how shall he take proper care of the church of God?
6 Mele be wòanye ame si ƒe dzimetrɔɣi medidi o, elabena ne menye nenema o la, dada ayɔ eya amea me, eye wòadze anyi le ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ si va Abosam dzi la te.
Not a new convert, lest he be puffed up, and fall into the devil’s crime.
7 Ele na hamedzikpɔla be wòakpɔ ɖaseɖiɖi nyui tso hamea godotɔwo hã gbɔ, ale be mage adze vlododo kple Abosam ƒe mɔ me o.
He must also have a fair character from those who are without, that he may not fall into reproach, and into the snare of the devil.
8 Nenema kee wòle na subɔlawo hã be woanye ame siwo ŋu bubu le kple nyateƒetɔwo, menye ahatsunolawo kple ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖiwo yome o.
The deacons also in like manner must be grave, not doubletongued, not addicting themselves to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Ele na wo be woalé xɔse la ƒe nyateƒe detowo me ɖe asi kple dzitsinya nyui.
holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 Ele be woado wo kpɔ gbã, eye ne naneke meku ɖe o ŋu o la, woaɖe mɔ woawɔ subɔla ƒe dɔ.
And let these also be first proved, and if found blameless, then let them enter on the deacon’s office.
11 Ele na wo srɔ̃nyɔnuwo be woanye ame ɖɔŋuɖowo, ke menye ahatsunolawo kple amenyagblɔlawo o, ke boŋ woawɔ nuteƒe le nu sia nu me.
Their wives in like manner must be grave women, not addicted to scandal, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Subɔlawo nanye srɔ̃ ɖeka tɔwo, eye dzidzɔ kple toɖoɖo nanɔ woƒe aƒewo me.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ordering well their children and their own families.
13 Kpeɖeŋutɔ siwo wɔ dɔ nyuie la ƒe fetu anye be amewo naɖo bubu na wo, eye woawo ŋutɔ ƒe dzideƒo kple xɔse le Yesu Kristo me hã atsi ɖe edzi.
For they who discharge the office of a deacon with propriety, acquire to themselves a respectable station in the church, and great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ.
14 Togbɔ be mele mɔ kpɔm be mava mia gbɔ kpuie hã la, mele nu siawo ŋlɔm na mi,
These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15 ale be ne nye vava he ɖe megbe hã la, miate ŋu anya ale si miazɔ le Mawu ƒe aƒe si nye Mawu gbagbe la ƒe ha, si lé Mawu ƒe nyateƒe la me ɖe asi sesĩe la me.
but should I be delayed, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the pedestal of truth.
16 Enye nyateƒe be mawumegbenɔnɔ mele bɔbɔe o, gake ele bɔbɔe le Kristo ta, ame si va anyigba dzi abe ame ene. Ɖiƒoƒo aɖeke menɔ eŋuti o, eye wòdza le eƒe gbɔgbɔ me. Mawudɔlawo kpɔe, eye wogblɔ mawunya tso eŋuti le dukɔwo dome. Amewo xɔ edzi se le afi sia afi si wòyi, eye wogaxɔe ɖe eƒe ŋutikɔkɔe me le dziƒo.
And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
