1 KuThimothi 3
1 Lithembekile ilizwielithi: Uba umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, ufisa umsebenzi omuhle;
This is a true saying, (logos) If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 ngakho kumele ukuthi umbonisi abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda yomfazi munye, ozithintayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ophatha kuhle izihambi, olelisu lokufundisa;
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, able to teach;
3 angabi yisidakwa, angabi ngothanda ukulwa, anganxwaneli inzuzo embi, kodwa abe mnene, angabi ngothanda ukuxabana, angabi ngothanda imali;
Not given to wine, not an attacker, not greedy of filthy illegal gain; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 ephatha kuhle owakhe umuzi, elabantwana abalalela ngenhlonipho yonke,
One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 ngoba uba umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaligcina njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu?
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Kangabi ngosanda ukukholwa, hlezi ngokukhukhunyezwa awele ekulahlweni kukadiyabhola.
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Kumele futhi ukuthi abe lobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, hlezi awele ekuthukweni lemjibileni kadiyabhola.
Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Ngokunjalo abadikoni bahlonipheke, bangabi ndimimbili, bangananzi iwayini elinengi, bangafisi inzuzo embi,
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy illegal gain;
9 babambe imfihlo yokholo esazeleni esimhlophe.
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Laba-ke kabaqale bahlolwe, okulandelayo kabakhonze uba bengasoleki.
And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Ngokunjalo omkabo babe ngabahloniphekayo, abanganyeyiyo, abazithintayo, bethembekile ezintweni zonke.
Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Abadikoni kababe ngamadoda amfazi munye, aphatha kuhle abantwana leyawo imizi.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 Ngoba abakhonze kuhle bazizuzela isimilo esihle, lesibindi esikhulu ekholweni olukuKristu Jesu.
For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 Lezizinto ngikubhalela zona, ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane;
These things write I unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly:
15 kodwa uba ngibambeka, ukuze wazi ukuthi kufanele uziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu, elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.
But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground 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.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, (pneuma) seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
