1 Timotea 3
1 Muwambilo uwu we niti: Haiva zumwi muntu usaka kuva muruti, ulakaza mutendo mulotu.
Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work."
2 Imihe muruti uswanela kuva nikusanyazahala. Uswanela kuva mukwame wamwanakazi umwina. ave niku liwonda, nikuzuwisiza, nikulikuteka, yosaka kutabmula vayene, yowola kuruta.
A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;
3 Kanji avi chindakwa cha vunjwala, insi wekondo, kono yolukite, wina inkozo. Kanjavi muntu yosaka masheleñi.
not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous;
4 Yo yendisa vezuvo yakwe nenza. ni vana vakwe vamuzuwe mi vamuhe ikute liyere.
but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.
5 Mukuti haiva muntu kezi kutomela vezuvo yakwe nenza, mwatokomele vule ikeleke ya Ireeza?
(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)
6 Imi nsazi avi muntu yozwa hakuzumima, pona cholikumusa mane akawile mwikatulo ya diavulusi.
He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.
7 Ave yopakwa nenza nivantu vena hanze, ilikuti kanji awili mumaswavi nikaswa ka diavulusi.
It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil.
8 Vahikana, kakwiziva, vave nivutali, isiñi vendimi zovere. Kanji vavi zinywi zavunjwara ahulu kamba nikulya ahulu.
Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,
9 Vavike ininti ive zivahazwa yetumelo ni zwalo linjolola.
but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 Vaswanela kutatuvwa lwetazi, linu valukela kuhewa musevezi kakuli vashiyeme.
And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.
11 Nivanakazi chenzila iswana bave nikuzuwisisa. Kanji bavi vasoha. Bave nikuliwonda, imi bave nikulwonda nikusepahala muzintu zonse.
Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.
12 Muhikana wekeleke ave ni mwanakazi yeke. Vayendisa hande bana bavo ni mazuvo avo nenza.
A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well.
13 Mukuti kwavo vavasebezi hande vakwete musevzi mulotu, kavawane mazimo malotu, ninguzu zina mwa Kereste.
For those who have filled the deacon's office wisely and well, are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing, and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming the faith which rests on Christ Jesus.
14 Niñolela izi zintu kwako, imi nisepa kwiza kwenu hahanu.
All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come to see you.
15 Linu heva niniyleha, nimiñolera ili kuti mwizive mumuswanela kwi kalila muzubo ya Ireeza, Iliyo Ikeleke ya Ireeza yohala, mutomo ni tuso ihala.
But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth.
16 Mi Indava isakananwa yive zivahazwa ikunutu yakulapela ikando: “Aba vonahazwa munyama, abavikwa yolukite muluhuho, abavonwa ni mañiloyi, abawambwa kumansi, abazuminwa mwikanda, imi avahindilwa mwinkanya.”
And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.
