1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
Nansi isitsho esiqotho esithi: Lowo ofuna ukuba ngumthungameli ufisa umsebenzi olesithunzi.
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
Umthungameli akumelanga abengosolekayo njalo kumele abeyindoda elomfazi oyedwa, ezithibayo, elamandla okuzibamba, ehloniphekayo, ephatha kuhle izihambi, eyenelisa ukufundisa,
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
engayisiso sidakwa, engeladlakela kodwa emnene, engathandi ingxabano, engathandi imali.
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
Kayibe ngephatha kuhle umuzi wayo njalo ibone ukuba abantwana bayo bayayilalela ngenhlonipho efaneleyo.
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
(Nxa umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha umuzi wakhe angaliphatha njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?)
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Akumelanga kube ngosanda kuphenduka hlezi azikhukhumeze abe ngaphansi kokwahlulelwa kunye loSathane.
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Njalo kumele abe ngodume ngokuhle kwabangaphandle ukuze angaweli ehlazweni lasemjibileni kaSathane.
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
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 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
Kumele baqale bahlolwe; nxa kungekho lutho olubi ngabo, kabasebenze njengamadikoni.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
Ngokunjalo, labomkabo kumele babe ngabesifazane abahloniphekayo, abangahlebiyo kodwa abazithibayo labathembekileyo ezintweni zonke.
12 Let servants be 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 those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing 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 I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
Lanxa ngikhangelele ukuza kuwe masinyane, ngikulobela iziqondiso lezi ukuze kuthi
15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly 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 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
Kungekho kuthandabuza imfihlakalo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu inkulu: Wabonakaliswa emzimbeni, wafakazelwa nguMoya, wabonwa yizingilosi, watshunyayelwa phakathi kwezizwe, umhlaba wakholwa kuye, wenyukiselwa phezulu ngenkazimulo.
