1 KuThimothi 3
1 Nansi isitsho esiqotho esithi: Lowo ofuna ukuba ngumthungameli ufisa umsebenzi olesithunzi.
The word [is] faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work.
2 Umthungameli akumelanga abengosolekayo njalo kumele abeyindoda elomfazi oyedwa, ezithibayo, elamandla okuzibamba, ehloniphekayo, ephatha kuhle izihambi, eyenelisa ukufundisa,
The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;
3 engayisiso sidakwa, engeladlakela kodwa emnene, engathandi ingxabano, engathandi imali.
not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money,
4 Kayibe ngephatha kuhle umuzi wayo njalo ibone ukuba abantwana bayo bayayilalela ngenhlonipho efaneleyo.
conducting his own house well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (Nxa umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha umuzi wakhe angaliphatha njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?)
(but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)
6 Akumelanga kube ngosanda kuphenduka hlezi azikhukhumeze abe ngaphansi kokwahlulelwa kunye loSathane.
not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into [the] fault of the devil.
7 Njalo kumele abe ngodume ngokuhle kwabangaphandle ukuze angaweli ehlazweni lasemjibileni kaSathane.
But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and [the] snare of the devil.
8 Ngokunjalo, amadikoni lawo kumele kube ngabantu abahloniphekayo, abaqotho, abanganathi iwayini elinengi, abangadingi inzuzo ngobuqili.
Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means,
9 Kumele babambelele eqinisweni elizikileyo kanye lasekukholweni ngesazela esihlanzekileyo.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Kumele baqale bahlolwe; nxa kungekho lutho olubi ngabo, kabasebenze njengamadikoni.
And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge [against them].
11 Ngokunjalo, labomkabo kumele babe ngabesifazane abahloniphekayo, abangahlebiyo kodwa abazithibayo labathembekileyo ezintweni zonke.
[The] women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Umdikoni kabe lomfazi oyedwa kuphela njalo ophatha kuhle abantwana bakhe kanye labendlu yakhe.
Let [the] ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting [their] children and their own houses well:
13 Labo abasebenze kuhle bazuza isithunzi lesithembiso esikhulu ekukholweni kwabo kuKhristu uJesu.
for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.
14 Lanxa ngikhangelele ukuza kuwe masinyane, ngikulobela iziqondiso lezi ukuze kuthi
These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;
15 nxa ngibambeka, ukwazi ukuthi abantu kumele baziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.
but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is [the] assembly of [the] living God, [the] pillar and base of the truth.
16 Kungekho kuthandabuza imfihlakalo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu inkulu: Wabonakaliswa emzimbeni, wafakazelwa nguMoya, wabonwa yizingilosi, watshunyayelwa phakathi kwezizwe, umhlaba wakholwa kuye, wenyukiselwa phezulu ngenkazimulo.
And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in [the] Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among [the] nations, has been believed on in [the] world, has been received up in glory.
