< 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 saying is trustworthy: If someone desires to be an overseer, 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.
Therefore the overseer must be without reproach. He must be a husband of one wife. He must be moderate, sensible, orderly, and hospitable. He must be 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.
He must not be addicted to wine, not a brawler, but instead, gentle, peaceful. He must not be a lover of money.
4 No nginya akorwo ahotete gwatha mũciĩ wake wega, na one atĩ ciana ciake nĩimwathĩkagĩra na gĩtĩĩo kĩrĩa kĩagĩrĩire.
He should manage his own household well, and his children should obey him with all respect.
5 (Mũndũ angĩkorwo ndangĩhota gwatha mũciĩ wake mwene-rĩ, angĩhota atĩa kũmenyerera kanitha wa Ngai?)
For if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for a church of God?
6 Ningĩ ndagakorwo arĩ mũndũ mwerũ wĩtĩkio-inĩ ndakae kũgĩa na mwĩtĩĩo, nake atuĩrwo ciira ta ũrĩa mũcukani aatuĩrĩirwo.
He should not be a new convert, so that he does not swell with pride and might fall into condemnation as 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.
He must also have a good reputation with those outside, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the trap 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.
Deacons, likewise, should be dignified, not double-talkers. They should not drink too much wine or be greedy.
9 No nginya marũmie ũhoro-ũrĩa-wa-ma wa wĩtĩkio ũrĩa mũrikĩru marĩ na thamiri itarĩ na mwĩcuuko.
They should keep the revealed truth of the faith with a clean conscience.
10 Nao mambe magerio; na thuutha ũcio marekwo matuĩke ateithĩrĩria a maũndũ ma kanitha maakorwo matarĩ na ũcuuke.
They should also be approved first, then they should serve because they are 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.
Women in the same way should be dignified. They should not be slanderers. They should be moderate and 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.
Deacons must be husbands of one wife. They must manage well their children and household.
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 served well acquire for themselves a good standing and great confidence 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 am writing these things to you, and I expect to come to you soon.
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, I am writing so that you may know how to behave in the household 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.
It is undeniable that the revealed truth of godliness is great: “He appeared in the flesh, was justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, and was taken up in glory.”

< 1 Timotheo 3 >