KuThithusi 1
1 UPawuli, inceku kaNkulunkulu, lomphostoli kaJesu Kristu, njengokokholo lwabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu lolwazi lweqiniso olunjengokukhonza uNkulunkulu,
From Paul, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, charged to strengthen the faith of God’s Chosen People, and their knowledge of that Truth which makes for godliness
2 ethembeni lempilo elaphakade, uNkulunkulu ongaqambi manga alithembisa zingakafiki izibanga zesikhathi, (aiōnios g166)
and is based on the hope of Immortal Life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, (aiōnios g166)
3 kodwa wabonakalisa ngezikhathi ezifaneleyo ilizwi lakhe ngokutshumayela mina engakuphathiswayo njengokulaya kukaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu,
and has revealed at his own time in his Message, with the proclamation of which I was entrusted by the command of God our Saviour.
4 kuTitosi umntanami isibili njengokholo esiluhlanganyele sonke: Umusa, isihawu, ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba, leNkosini uJesu Kristu uMsindisi wethu.
To Titus, my true Child in our one Faith: May God, the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Saviour, bless you and give you peace.
5 Ngenxa yalokhu ngakutshiya eKrete, ukuze ulungise lezozinto eziseleyo, njalo ubeke abadala kuwo wonke umuzi, njengoba mina ngakulaya;
My reason for leaving you in Crete was that you might put in order what had been left unsettled, and appoint Officers of the Church in the various towns, as I myself directed you.
6 uba kukhona ongasolekiyo, indoda elomfazi munye, elabantwana abakholwayo, abangasolwa ngokuganga, loba ngokungalaleli.
They are to be men of irreproachable character, who are faithful husbands, whose children are Christians and have never been charged with dissolute conduct or have been unruly.
7 Ngoba kufanele umbonisi abe ngongasolekiyo, njengomphathindlu kaNkulunkulu; ongayisiso siqholo, ongathukutheli masinyane, ongesiso sidakwa, ongathandi ukulwa, ongafisi inzuzo embi,
For a Presiding-Officer, as God’s steward, ought to be a man of irreproachable character; not self-willed or quick-tempered, nor addicted to drink or to brawling or to questionable money-making.
8 kodwa ophatha kuhle izihambi, othanda okuhle, oziphathayo, oqondileyo, ongcwele, ozithintayo,
On the contrary, he should be hospitable, eager for the right, discreet, upright, a man of holy life and capable of self-restraint,
9 ebambelela elizwini elithembekileyo njengokwemfundiso, ukuze laye abe lamandla okukhuthaza ngemfundiso ephilileyo, lokwehlula labo abalenkani.
who holds doctrine that can be relied on as being in accordance with the accepted Teaching; so that he may be able to encourage others by sound teaching, as well as to refute our opponents.
10 Ngoba kulabanengi labo abangalaleliyo, abakhuluma okuyize labakhohlisayo, ikakhulu labo abokusoka,
There are, indeed, many unruly persons — great talkers who deceive themselves, principally converts from Judaism,
11 imilomo yabo imele ukufakwa isayeke, abagenqula imizi yonke, befundisa izinto ezingafanelanga, ngenxa yenzuzo embi.
whose mouths ought to be stopped; for they upset whole households by teaching what they ought not to teach, merely to make questionable gains.
12 Omunye kubo, owabo umprofethi, wathi: AmaKrete ahlezi engabaqambimanga, izilo ezimbi, iziminzi ezivilaphayo.
It was a Cretan — one of their own teachers — who said: ‘Cretans are always liars, base brutes, and gluttonous idlers’; and his statement is true.
13 Lobubufakazi buqinisile. Ngalesosizatho balayisise ngobukhali, ukuze baphile ekholweni,
Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the Faith,
14 bangalaleli inganekwane zamaJuda, lemithetho yabantu abafulathela iqiniso.
and may pay no attention to Jewish legends, or to the directions of those who turn their backs upon the Truth.
15 Kwabahlambulukileyo konke kuhlambulukile; kodwa kwabangcolileyo labangakholwayo kakulalutho oluhlanzekileyo; kodwa lengqondo lezazela zabo kungcolile.
Everything is pure to the pure-minded, but to those whose minds are polluted and who are unbelievers nothing is pure. Their minds and consciences are alike polluted.
16 Bavuma ukuthi bayamazi uNkulunkulu, kodwa bemphika ngezenzo, besenyanyeka, labangalaleliyo, lakuwo wonke umsebenzi omuhle kabasizi lutho.
They profess to know God, but by their actions they disown him. They are degraded and self-willed; and, as far as anything good is concerned, they are utterly worthless.
