1 Timoteo 3
1 Ɛyɛ sɛnnahɔ sɛ, sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔyɛ asafopanin a, na wafa adwuma pa.
This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a good work.
2 Asafopanin yɛ obi a mfomsoɔ nni ne ho. Ɛsɛ sɛ ne yere yɛ baako. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbrɛ ne ho ase na ɔhyɛ ne ho so yɛ ne biribiara pɛpɛɛpɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔgye ahɔhoɔ wɔ ne fie na ɔkyerɛkyerɛ nso.
The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ɔsadweam anaa basabasa, na mmom, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbrɛ ne ho ase na ɔpɛ asomdwoeɛ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ sikaniberefoɔ.
not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtumi hwɛ ne fiefoɔ so yie na ɔtumi ma ne mma yɛ ɔsetie de obuo ne anidie ma no.
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 Na sɛ obi nnim sɛdeɛ ɔhwɛ ne fie so yie a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ɔbɛtumi ahwɛ Onyankopɔn asafo so?
(but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
6 Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ obi a afei na wahunu Awurade; sɛ ɛba saa a, ne tirim bɛyɛ no dɛ na wayɛ ahomasoɔ ama wɔabu no atɛn sɛdeɛ wɔbuu ɔbonsam atɛn no.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a wɔnnyɛ akyidifoɔ no mpo de anidie ma no sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔrengu nʼanim ase na ɔbonsam afidie renyi no.
Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
8 Ɛsɛ sɛ asafo mu aboafoɔ nso yɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ suban pa na wɔdi nokorɛ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔnom nsã pii anaasɛ wɔyɛ aniberefoɔ.
Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;
9 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde adwenem fann gyina pintinn ma nokorɛ no ne gyidie no.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔsɔ wɔn hwɛ ansa, na sɛ wɔdi sɔhwɛ no so nkonim a, wɔasom.
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.
11 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn yerenom nso wɔ suban pa a wɔnni nsekuro. Biribiara mu ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase di nokorɛ.
Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Ɛsɛ sɛ asafo no mu ɔboafoɔ no wɔ yere baako na afei ɔtumi hwɛ ne mma ne ne fiefoɔ yie.
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 Wɔn a wɔsom yie no bɛnya nnyinaso pa, na wɔn gyidie a wɔwɔ wɔ Kristo Yesu mu no nso ayɛ nam.
For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 Saa nwoma a mede rebrɛ wo yi akyi no, mewɔ anidasoɔ sɛ ɛrenkyɛre biara mɛba wo nkyɛn.
These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15 Na sɛ mannuru wo nkyɛn ntɛm a, saa nwoma yi bɛma woahunu sɛdeɛ yɛbɔ yɛn bra wɔ Onyankopɔn fie. Efie a ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn teasefoɔ no asafo a ɛyɛ nokorɛ no nnyinasoɔ.
but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ, ahintasɛm a ɛwɔ nyamesom pa mu no krɔnn: Ɔbaeɛ onipa tebea mu, Honhom no buu no bem, na abɔfoɔ hunuu no, wɔkaa ne ho asɛm amanaman mu, na ewiase gyee no diiɛ, wɔfaa no kɔɔ ɔsoro animuonyam mu.
Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
