< Tito 1 >
1 Mimi Paulo, mtumishi wa Mungu na mtume wa Yesu Kristo naandika. Mimi nimechaguliwa kuijenga imani ya wateule wa Mungu na kuwaongoza waufahamu ukweli wa dini yetu,
PAUL, a servant of God, and a legate of Jesus the Messiah; according to the faith of the elect of God, and the knowledge of the truth which is in the fear of God,
2 ambayo msingi wake ni tumaini la kupata uzima wa milele. Mungu ambaye hasemi uongo, alituahidia uzima huo kabla ya mwanzo wa nyakati, (aiōnios )
concerning the hope of eternal life, which the veracious God promised before the times of the world; (aiōnios )
3 na wakati ufaao ulipowadia, akaudhihirisha katika ujumbe wake. Mimi nilikabidhiwa ujumbe huo nuutangaze kufuatana na amri ya Mungu, Mwokozi wetu.
and in due time he hath manifested his word, by means of our announcement, which was confided to me by the command of God our Life-giver;
4 Ninakuandikia wewe Tito, mwanangu wa kweli katika imani tunayoshiriki. Nakutakia neema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba, na kutoka kwa Kristo Yesu, Mkombozi wetu.
to Titus, a real son after the common faith: Grace and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus the Messiah, our Life-giver.
5 Nilikuacha Krete ili urekebishe yale mambo ambayo hayakuwa yamekamilika bado, na kuwateua wazee wa kanisa katika kila mji. Kumbuka maagizo yangu:
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou mightest regulate the things deficient, and establish elders in every city, as I directed thee:
6 mzee wa kanisa anapaswa kuwa mtu asiye na hatia; aliye na mke mmoja tu, na watoto wake wanapaswa kuwa waumini, wasiojulikana kuwa wakorofi au wakaidi.
him who is blameless, who is the husband of one wife, and hath believing children, who are no revellers, nor ungovernable in sensuality.
7 Maana kwa vile kiongozi wa kanisa ni mkurugenzi wa kazi ya Mungu, anapaswa kuwa mtu asiye na hatia. Asiwe mwenye majivuno, mwepesi wa hasira, mlevi, mkorofi au mchoyo.
For an elder ought to be blameless, as the steward of God; and not be self-willed, nor irascible, nor excessive in wine, nor with hands swift to strike, nor a lover of base gains.
8 Anapaswa kuwa mkarimu na anayependa mambo mema. Anapaswa kuwa mtu mtaratibu, mwadilifu, mtakatifu na mwenye nidhamu.
But he should be a lover of strangers, and a lover of good deeds, and be sober, upright, kind-hearted, and restraining himself from evil passions;
9 Ni lazima ashike kikamilifu ujumbe ule wa kuaminika kama unavyofundishwa. Ndivyo atakavyoweza kuwatia wengine moyo kwa mafundisho ya kweli na kuyafichua makosa ya wale wanaoyapinga mafundisho hayo.
and studious of the doctrine of the word of faith, that he may be able by his wholesome teaching both to console, and to rebuke them that are contentious.
10 Maana, wako watu wengi, hasa wale walioongoka kutoka dini ya Kiyahudi, ambao ni wakaidi, wanaowapotosha wengine kwa upumbavu wao.
For many are unsubmissive, and their discourses vain; and they mislead the minds of people, especially such as are of the circumcision.
11 Lazima kukomesha maneno yao, kwani wanavuruga jumuiya nzima kwa kufundisha mambo ambayo hawapaswi kufundisha; wanafanya hivyo kwa nia mbaya ya kupata faida ya fedha.
The mouth of these ought to be stopped: they corrupt many families; and they teach what they ought not, for the sake of base gains.
12 Hata mmoja wa manabii wao, ambaye naye pia ni Mkrete, alisema: “Wakrete, husema uongo daima; ni kama wanyama wabaya, walafi na wavivu!”
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, The Cretans are always mendacious, evil beasts, idle bellies.
13 Naye alitoboa ukweli kwa sababu hiyo, unapaswa kuwakaripia vikali, ili wawe na imani kamilifu.
And this testimony is true. Therefore chide them sharply; that they may be sound in the faith,
14 Wasiendelee kushikilia hadithi tupu za Kiyahudi na maagizo ya kibinadamu yanayozuka kwa watu walioukataa ukweli.
and may not throw themselves into Jewish fables, and into the precepts of men who hate the truth.
15 Kila kitu ni safi kwa watu walio safi; lakini hakuna chochote kilicho safi kwa wale waliochafuliwa na wasioamini, maana dhamiri na akili zao zimechafuliwa.
For to the pure, every thing is pure; but to them who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but their understanding is defiled, and their conscience.
16 Watu kama hao hujidai kwamba wanamjua Mungu, lakini kwa matendo yao humkana. Ni watu wa kuchukiza mno na wakaidi, hawafai kwa jambo lolote jema.
And they profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him; and they are odious, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobates.