1 Timote 3
1 Tala liloba oyo ezali penza ya solo: Moto nyonso oyo alingi kozala mokambi kati na Lingomba aponi mosala ya kitoko.
This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
2 Boye, mokambi ya Lingomba asengeli kozala: moto azanga pamela, mobali ya mwasi moko, moto oyo alekisaka ndelo te na ezaleli na ye, moto oyo ayebi komikanga, moto ya lokumu, moto oyo ayambaka malamu bapaya kati na ndako na ye, moto oyo azali na makoki ya koteya,
The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 molangwi masanga te, moto na kanza te, moto na boboto, moto oyo aswanaka te, moto na lokoso ya mbongo te,
not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 moto oyo akambaka malamu libota na ye moko, asenzelaka ete bana na ye batosa ye mpe asalaka bongo na lolenge oyo ebongi na limemia ya kokoka.
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 Moto oyo ayebi te kokamba malamu libota na ye akokoka ndenge nini kobatela Lingomba ya Nzambe?
(but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
6 Mokambi ya Lingomba asengeli te kozala moto oyo abongoli motema sika, noki te akotonda na lolendo mpe akozwa etumbu lokola Satana.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Mokambi ya Lingomba asengeli mpe kozala moto oyo akenda sango ya malamu kati na bato oyo bazali bandimi te mpo ete abatela lokumu na ye mpe akweya te na mitambo ya Satana.
Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
8 Ezali mpe ndenge moko mpo na badiakona. Basengeli kozala: bato oyo babongi na limemia, bato ya maloba mibale te, balangwi masanga te mpe bato oyo balukaka mbongo te na banzela ya mabe.
Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;
9 Basengeli koyeba kobatela mabombami ya kondima kati na motema ya peto.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Esengeli komeka bango liboso; bongo soki emonani ete bazangi pamela, wana nde bakoki kosala lokola badiakona.
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.
11 Ezali mpe ndenge moko mpo na badiakona ya basi. Basengeli kozala: basi oyo babongi na limemia, basi oyo batongaka bato te, basi oyo balekisaka ndelo te na bizaleli na bango mpe basi ya sembo na makambo nyonso.
Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Diakona asengeli kozala mobali ya mwasi moko mpe asengeli kokamba malamu bana na ye mpe ndako na ye.
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 Pamba te badiakona oyo basalaka mosala na bango malamu bazwaka esika ya lokumu mpe bakomaka na elikya makasi kati na kondima na bango epai na Yesu-Klisto.
For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 Atako nazali na elikya ya kokutana na yo kala mingi te, kasi nakomeli yo kaka malako oyo
These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15 mpo ete, soki nawumeli mpo na koya, oyeba ndenge nini bato basengeli kotambola kati na Ndako ya Nzambe, oyo ezali Lingomba ya Nzambe na bomoi, likonzi mpe moboko ya bosolo.
but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 Tala makambo oyo tondimaka elongo: Mabombami ya kosambela Nzambe na lolenge ya solo ezali minene. Klisto amonanaki na nzoto ya bomoto, Molimo Mosantu atatolaki ete azali sembo, ba-anjelu bamonaki Ye, bato ya bikolo ya bapaya bateyamaki na tina na Ye, bato bandimelaki Ye kati na mokili mobimba, mpe amemamaki kati na nkembo.
Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
