1 KuThimothi 3

1 Nansi isitsho esiqotho esithi: Lowo ofuna ukuba ngumthungameli ufisa umsebenzi olesithunzi.

2 Umthungameli akumelanga abengosolekayo njalo kumele abeyindoda elomfazi oyedwa, ezithibayo, elamandla okuzibamba, ehloniphekayo, ephatha kuhle izihambi, eyenelisa ukufundisa,

3 engayisiso sidakwa, engeladlakela kodwa emnene, engathandi ingxabano, engathandi imali.

4 Kayibe ngephatha kuhle umuzi wayo njalo ibone ukuba abantwana bayo bayayilalela ngenhlonipho efaneleyo.

5 (Nxa umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha umuzi wakhe angaliphatha njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?)

6 Akumelanga kube ngosanda kuphenduka hlezi azikhukhumeze abe ngaphansi kokwahlulelwa kunye loSathane.

7 Njalo kumele abe ngodume ngokuhle kwabangaphandle ukuze angaweli ehlazweni lasemjibileni kaSathane.

8 Ngokunjalo, amadikoni lawo kumele kube ngabantu abahloniphekayo, abaqotho, abanganathi iwayini elinengi, abangadingi inzuzo ngobuqili.

9 Kumele babambelele eqinisweni elizikileyo kanye lasekukholweni ngesazela esihlanzekileyo.

10 Kumele baqale bahlolwe; nxa kungekho lutho olubi ngabo, kabasebenze njengamadikoni.

11 Ngokunjalo, labomkabo kumele babe ngabesifazane abahloniphekayo, abangahlebiyo kodwa abazithibayo labathembekileyo ezintweni zonke.

12 Umdikoni kabe lomfazi oyedwa kuphela njalo ophatha kuhle abantwana bakhe kanye labendlu yakhe.

13 Labo abasebenze kuhle bazuza isithunzi lesithembiso esikhulu ekukholweni kwabo kuKhristu uJesu.

14 Lanxa ngikhangelele ukuza kuwe masinyane, ngikulobela iziqondiso lezi ukuze kuthi

15 nxa ngibambeka, ukwazi ukuthi abantu kumele baziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.

16 Kungekho kuthandabuza imfihlakalo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu inkulu: Wabonakaliswa emzimbeni, wafakazelwa nguMoya, wabonwa yizingilosi, watshunyayelwa phakathi kwezizwe, umhlaba wakholwa kuye, wenyukiselwa phezulu ngenkazimulo.