Tito 1
1 Ngai Polo, mowumbu ya Nzambe mpe ntoma ya Yesu-Klisto, mpo na kolendisa kondima ya baponami ya Nzambe mpe boyebi ya bosolo oyo ememaka na botosi kati na makambo ya Nzambe,
I, Paul, [am writing this letter to you, Titus]. [God appointed me to be] his servant and [to be] an apostle [who represents] Jesus Christ. [God appointed me in order that I might teach] those whom God has chosen [to be his people] to [correctly] believe [in him]. He wants me to teach them the true [teachings about God], in order that they will learn to behave (in a [godly manner/] a [manner that pleases God]).
2 mpo ete bazala na elikya ya bomoi ya seko oyo Nzambe, Ye oyo akosaka te, alakaki biso wuta kala, liboso ya ebandeli ya tango, (aiōnios g166)
[As a result of my doing these things, his people] confidently expect that God will cause them to live forever. God, who never lies, promised before he created the world that [his people] would live forever. (aiōnios g166)
3 mpe atalisi sik’oyo polele na nzela ya Liloba na Ye, oyo napesamelaki mokumba ya kosakola, kolanda etinda ya Nzambe, Mobikisi na biso, na tango oyo Ye akata;
Then at the time that he [chose], he revealed [to us his] message. [Specifically], God our Savior gave this message to me, and he trusted me to proclaim it to people.
4 epai ya Tito, mwana na ngai ya solo kati na kondima moko oyo tozali kokabola elongo na ye: Tika ete ngolu mpe kimia epesamela yo kowuta na Nzambe Tata mpe na Yesu-Klisto, Mobikisi na biso!
Titus, [I am writing this letter] to [you because you are like] a true son [MET] [to me because I led/helped you to] believe the same [teachings about Christ that I do]. ([I pray that/May]) [God our Father and Christ Jesus our Savior will continue to] act kindly toward you and cause you to have [inner] peace.
5 Natikaki yo kati na Kreti mpo ete osilisa kobongisa makambo oyo etikalaki mpe opona bakambi ya Lingomba kati na engumba moko na moko, ndenge natindaki yo.
When I [asked you] to stay on Crete [island], I wanted you to do these things: [Teach the believers what they need to know so that they] can understand correctly the [spiritual] matters about which some are teaching wrongly. Appoint elders [in the congregation] in each town in the manner in which I told you to do.
6 Mokambi ya Lingomba asengeli kozala moto azanga pamela, mobali ya mwasi moko, moboti ya malamu; mpe bana na ye basengeli kozala bandimi, bana ya mobulu te mpe ya kilikili te.
[When you appoint men as elders], you must choose men whom no one can [justly] accuse of [habitually] doing what is wrong (OR, whom everyone speaks well of). Specifically, appoint men who have been faithful to their wives. Appoint men whose children faithfully obey [them. Do not appoint men whose children habitually] do all the things that their bodies urge them to do, or who refuse to obey their parents.
7 Lokola motambolisi misala ya Nzambe, mokambi ya Lingomba asengeli kozala moto azanga pamela. Yango wana, asengeli kozala moto na lolendo te, moto na kanda te, molangwi masanga te, moto na kanza te, moto na lokoso ya mbongo te.
Leaders [of the congregation] must be [men] who, as everyone knows, habitually do what is good (OR, [whom] no one can [justly] accuse of doing what is wrong), because it is on God’s behalf that they will direct/serve [the congregation. Specifically, they must] not be arrogant/proud. They must not easily become angry. They must not [be men who] drink much alcohol. They must not [be men who] ([act] violently/fight) [when they are angry. They must] not [be men who are] (greedy for/strongly desire to get) money.
8 Asengeli nde kozala moto oyo ayambaka bato malamu kati na ndako na ye, alingaka makambo ya malamu, azalaka na ekenge; asengeli kozala moto ya bule, moto ya sembo, moto oyo ayebi komikanga,
Instead, they must be ones who welcome and take care of guests. They must (be devoted to/like to do) what is good. They must do [what God considers] to be right. They must be (holy/completely dedicated to God). They must be men who do what their minds tell them is right to do [and not what their emotions/desires urge them to do].
9 moto oyo akangama makasi na Liloba ya solo, ndenge kaka bateyaki ye yango. Na bongo, akoki kolendisa bato mosusu na nzela ya malakisi ya peto mpe kosukisa tembe ya bato oyo bandimaka te.
They must firmly believe in the message [about Jesus Christ] exactly as [I/we(inc)] taught it, in order that they might be able to teach [the believers] what is correct and to urge [them to follow it well. If they firmly accept our message], they will be able to convince those who oppose [what is correct that they are wrong].
10 Bato mingi baboyi kotosa solo, bazali koteya makambo ezanga tina mpe ya lokuta, mingi-mingi kati na bato oyo bakatama ngenga.
[I say this] because there are many [people who oppose the correct teachings]. They refuse to obey people who have authority over them, they talk ([on and on/without stopping]), saying what helps no one, and they deceive people. The Jewish [believers] [MTY] [who insist we must obey all the Jewish rituals are] especially [doing this].
11 Osengeli kosukisa bango, pamba te bazali kobebisa mabota ebele na nzela ya malakisi oyo esengeli kutu te, mpo na kaka kozwa mbongo ya soni.
[You and the leaders whom you appoint] should prevent such people from teaching [the believers]. They are causing whole families to stop believing in the correct teachings [MET] by means of their teaching [people wrong ideas/teachings. They are teaching people only] in order that people will give them money, [which is very] shameful [for them to do].
12 Moto moko ya Kreti, oyo bango moko bato ya Kreti bazwaka lokola mosakoli, alobaki: « Bato ya Kreti bazalaka bakosi, bazalaka banyama mabe, bato na lokoso mpe bagoyigoyi. »
A man from Crete [island] whom [they consider] a prophet said, “[My fellow] Cretan people are always lying [to one another! They are like dangerous] wild animals [MET]! They are lazy and always eat too much food [SYN]!”
13 Litatoli oyo ezali penza ya solo. Yango wana, pamela bango makasi mpo ete bazala na kondima ya peto
The words that this man said [about the Cretan people] are [still] true, [especially about their being liars]. So, rigorously convince/show [those Cretan believers] that those [false teachings] are wrong. Tell them to [firmly] believe in the correct teachings.
14 mpe balanda te masapo ya Bayuda to mibeko ya bato oyo baboyi solo.
[Teach them that] they should no [longer] listen to the stories that the Jews (made up/invented). [Especially] they should refuse to obey those who reject our true teachings, because those people are teaching things that only come from human beings, [not from God].
15 Mpo na bato oyo bazali peto, nyonso ezalaka peto; kasi mpo na bato oyo bazali mbindo mpe bazangi kondima, eloko moko te ezalaka peto, pamba te mayele mpe mitema na bango ezali mbindo.
[Believers should reject] what they teach about food, [because] no [food that we eat] can make us unacceptable to God if we are pure [in our] ([inner beings/hearts]). But if people are evil and they do not trust [in Christ Jesus], there is no [ritual] that can make them acceptable to God. Such people’s way of thinking has been ruined {Such people have ruined their way of thinking}, and they do not even feel guilty [when they do what is evil].
16 Balobaka ete bayebi Nzambe, kasi bawanganaka Ye na nzela ya misala na bango, pamba te bazali nkele, batomboki mpe bazangi makoki ya kosala ata likambo moko ya malamu.
Even though they claim/say that they know God, by what they do they [show that they] do not know (God/his true teaching). They do not obey [God], and they are unable to do anything that he considers to be good. [So God considers them to be absolutely] disgusting!
