< 1 Timotheo 3 >

1 Ũhoro ũyũ nĩguo wa kwĩhokeka: Atĩ mũndũ o wothe angĩĩrirĩria gũtuĩka mũrori wa maũndũ ma kanitha, mũndũ ũcio nĩerirĩirie wĩra wa bata.
This is a true saying: If any desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 Rĩu-rĩ, mũrori wa maũndũ ma kanitha no nginya akorwo atarĩ na ũcuuke, na akorwo nĩ mũthuuri wa mũtumia ũmwe. No nginya akorwo arĩ mũhooreri, na ũũĩ kwĩgirĩrĩria merirĩria ma mwĩrĩ, na mũndũ mũtĩĩku, na mũndũ ũnyiitaga andũ ũgeni, na ũngĩhota kũrutana maũndũ.
A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, watchful, soberminded, modest, hospitable, able to teach,
3 No ndagakorwo arĩ mũrĩĩu, kana arĩ wa ngũĩ, no akorwo arĩ mũhooreri, na mũndũ ũtarĩ wa mbaara, na ũtarĩ thuti ya mbeeca.
not fond of wine, not quarrelsome, not one who makes money by base means; but gentle, not contentious, not covetous;
4 No nginya akorwo ahotete gwatha mũciĩ wake wega, na one atĩ ciana ciake nĩimwathĩkagĩra na gĩtĩĩo kĩrĩa kĩagĩrĩire.
one that rules his own house well; having his children in subjection with all gravity:
5 (Mũndũ angĩkorwo ndangĩhota gwatha mũciĩ wake mwene-rĩ, angĩhota atĩa kũmenyerera kanitha wa Ngai?)
for if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?
6 Ningĩ ndagakorwo arĩ mũndũ mwerũ wĩtĩkio-inĩ ndakae kũgĩa na mwĩtĩĩo, nake atuĩrwo ciira ta ũrĩa mũcukani aatuĩrĩirwo.
Not a new convert, lest, having become conceited, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Ningĩ no nginya akorwo arĩ na ngumo njega kũrĩ andũ arĩa matarĩ a thiritũ iitũ, nĩgeetha ndagatuĩke wa gũconorithio kana agwe mũtego-inĩ wa mũcukani.
Further, he must have a good reputation from those who are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Nao ateithĩrĩria a kanitha, nĩmagĩrĩirwo makoragwo marĩ andũ a gũtĩĩka na ehokeku, matigatuĩke anyui a ndibei mũno, na makorwo matarĩ a gũkorokera indo na njĩra ĩtagĩrĩire.
The deacons, likewise, must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not makers of money by base means,
9 No nginya marũmie ũhoro-ũrĩa-wa-ma wa wĩtĩkio ũrĩa mũrikĩru marĩ na thamiri itarĩ na mwĩcuuko.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Nao mambe magerio; na thuutha ũcio marekwo matuĩke ateithĩrĩria a maũndũ ma kanitha maakorwo matarĩ na ũcuuke.
And let these also be first proved, then let them become deacons, being blameless.
11 O ũndũ ũmwe, nao atumia ao nĩmakorwo marĩ atumia a gũtĩĩka, matigakorwo marĩ andũ a gũcambania, no makorwo matarĩ arĩĩu na matuĩke a kwĩhokeka maũndũ-inĩ mothe.
Their wives likewise must be grave, not slanderers, watchful, faithful in all things.
12 Mũteithĩrĩria wa kanitha no nginya akorwo arĩ mũthuuri wa mũtumia ũmwe, na no nginya akorwo ahotete gwatha ciana ciake na mũciĩ wake wega.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 Arĩa matungatĩte wega nĩmegĩagĩra na ngumo njega, na makomĩrĩria mũno ũhoro-inĩ wa wĩtĩkio wao ũrĩa wa gwĩtĩkia Kristũ Jesũ.
For those who have filled the office of a deacon well, gain for themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 O na gũkorwo ndĩ na mwĩhoko atĩ nĩndĩrĩũka kũrĩ we narua-rĩ, ndĩrakwandĩkĩra maũndũ maya nĩgeetha,
I write these things to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15 ingĩaga gũũka narua, ũmenye ũrĩa andũ magĩrĩirwo nĩgũikaraga marĩ thĩinĩ wa nyũmba ya Ngai, na nĩyo kanitha wa Ngai ũrĩa ũrĩ muoyo, naguo nĩguo gĩtugĩ na mũthingi mũrũmu wa kũnyiitĩrĩra ũhoro-ũrĩa-wa-ma.
but if I delay, that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
16 Na hatarĩ nganja, ũhoro wa kwĩyamũrĩra Ngai nĩ hitho nene ma, atĩ: We oonanirio arĩ na mwĩrĩ, agĩtuuo mũthingu nĩ Roho, akĩonwo nĩ araika, na ũhoro wake ũkĩhunjio kũrĩ ndũrĩrĩ ciothe, agĩĩtĩkio nĩ andũ a gũkũ thĩ, na akĩamũkĩrwo riiri-inĩ kũrĩa igũrũ.
And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in flesh, justified in spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.

< 1 Timotheo 3 >