1 KuThimothi 3
1 Lithembekile ilizwielithi: Uba umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, ufisa umsebenzi omuhle;
This is a trustworthy statement: “If someone aspires to be an elder, this is a good work to want to do.”
2 ngakho kumele ukuthi umbonisi abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda yomfazi munye, ozithintayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ophatha kuhle izihambi, olelisu lokufundisa;
An elder must be above reproach, married to one wife, self-controlled, well-balanced, sensible, hospitable, and able to teach.
3 angabi yisidakwa, angabi ngothanda ukulwa, anganxwaneli inzuzo embi, kodwa abe mnene, angabi ngothanda ukuxabana, angabi ngothanda imali;
He should be someone who doesn't get drunk or become violent, but is gentle, and is not argumentative or greedy for money.
4 ephatha kuhle owakhe umuzi, elabantwana abalalela ngenhlonipho yonke,
He must handle his own family well. His children must respect what he tells them to do.
5 ngoba uba umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaligcina njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu?
(For if a man doesn't know how to manage his own family, how can he manage God's church?)
6 Kangabi ngosanda ukukholwa, hlezi ngokukhukhunyezwa awele ekulahlweni kukadiyabhola.
He should not be a new believer, in case he gets so full of himself he falls under the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Kumele futhi ukuthi abe lobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, hlezi awele ekuthukweni lemjibileni kadiyabhola.
People outside the church should also speak well of him so that he won't disgrace himself and fall into the devil's trap.
8 Ngokunjalo abadikoni bahlonipheke, bangabi ndimimbili, bangananzi iwayini elinengi, bangafisi inzuzo embi,
Similarly deacons should be respected, and not hypocritical. They should not be addicted to drink, and should not be trying to dishonestly enrich themselves.
9 babambe imfihlo yokholo esazeleni esimhlophe.
They must stick to the revealed truth about God, trusting in him with a pure conscience.
10 Laba-ke kabaqale bahlolwe, okulandelayo kabakhonze uba bengasoleki.
They should be tried out first, and if they can't be faulted then let them serve as deacons.
11 Ngokunjalo omkabo babe ngabahloniphekayo, abanganyeyiyo, abazithintayo, bethembekile ezintweni zonke.
Their wives should be respected too. They should not slander people with gossip, and they should be self-controlled and trustworthy in all they do.
12 Abadikoni kababe ngamadoda amfazi munye, aphatha kuhle abantwana leyawo imizi.
Deacons should be married to one wife, managing their children and their homes well.
13 Ngoba abakhonze kuhle bazizuzela isimilo esihle, lesibindi esikhulu ekholweni olukuKristu Jesu.
Those who serve well as deacons gain a good reputation and much confidence in their trust in Christ Jesus.
14 Lezizinto ngikubhalela zona, ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane;
Even though I hope to see you soon, I'm writing about all this to you so that
15 kodwa uba ngibambeka, ukuze wazi ukuthi kufanele uziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu, elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.
if I'm delayed you'll know how people should behave themselves in God's house. This is the church of the living God, the support pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Kuyavunywa-ke ukuthi yinkulu imfihlo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu: UNkulunkulu wabonakaliswa enyameni, wathiwa ulungile kuMoya, wabonwa zingilosi, watshunyayelwa ezizweni, wakholeka emhlabeni, wenyuselwa ebukhosini.
There's no question about it: the revealed truth about God is amazing! He was made known to us in human form, he was vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, declared to the nations, trusted in by the world, and taken up in glory!
