1 Timothy 3
1 This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Nansi isitsho esiqotho esithi: Lowo ofuna ukuba ngumthungameli ufisa umsebenzi olesithunzi.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Umthungameli akumelanga abengosolekayo njalo kumele abeyindoda elomfazi oyedwa, ezithibayo, elamandla okuzibamba, ehloniphekayo, ephatha kuhle izihambi, eyenelisa ukufundisa,
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
engayisiso sidakwa, engeladlakela kodwa emnene, engathandi ingxabano, engathandi imali.
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Kayibe ngephatha kuhle umuzi wayo njalo ibone ukuba abantwana bayo bayayilalela ngenhlonipho efaneleyo.
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
(Nxa umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha umuzi wakhe angaliphatha njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Akumelanga kube ngosanda kuphenduka hlezi azikhukhumeze abe ngaphansi kokwahlulelwa kunye loSathane.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Njalo kumele abe ngodume ngokuhle kwabangaphandle ukuze angaweli ehlazweni lasemjibileni kaSathane.
8 Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Ngokunjalo, amadikoni lawo kumele kube ngabantu abahloniphekayo, abaqotho, abanganathi iwayini elinengi, abangadingi inzuzo ngobuqili.
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Kumele babambelele eqinisweni elizikileyo kanye lasekukholweni ngesazela esihlanzekileyo.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
Kumele baqale bahlolwe; nxa kungekho lutho olubi ngabo, kabasebenze njengamadikoni.
11 Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Ngokunjalo, labomkabo kumele babe ngabesifazane abahloniphekayo, abangahlebiyo kodwa abazithibayo labathembekileyo ezintweni zonke.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Umdikoni kabe lomfazi oyedwa kuphela njalo ophatha kuhle abantwana bakhe kanye labendlu yakhe.
13 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.
Labo abasebenze kuhle bazuza isithunzi lesithembiso esikhulu ekukholweni kwabo kuKhristu uJesu.
14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
Lanxa ngikhangelele ukuza kuwe masinyane, ngikulobela iziqondiso lezi ukuze kuthi
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
nxa ngibambeka, ukwazi ukuthi abantu kumele baziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Kungekho kuthandabuza imfihlakalo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu inkulu: Wabonakaliswa emzimbeni, wafakazelwa nguMoya, wabonwa yizingilosi, watshunyayelwa phakathi kwezizwe, umhlaba wakholwa kuye, wenyukiselwa phezulu ngenkazimulo.
