1 KuThimothi 3
1 Lithembekile ilizwielithi: Uba umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, ufisa umsebenzi omuhle;
This is a faithful saying, "If any man is seeking the office of a minister he is aspiring to a noble task."
2 ngakho kumele ukuthi umbonisi abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda yomfazi munye, ozithintayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ophatha kuhle izihambi, olelisu lokufundisa;
The minister should be a man of blameless character; he should be husband of but one wife; he should live a sober, self-restrained, orderly life; he should be hospitable, skilled in teaching;
3 angabi yisidakwa, angabi ngothanda ukulwa, anganxwaneli inzuzo embi, kodwa abe mnene, angabi ngothanda ukuxabana, angabi ngothanda imali;
no drinker or brawler; but forbearing, peaceable, and no money- lover;
4 ephatha kuhle owakhe umuzi, elabantwana abalalela ngenhlonipho yonke,
he should be a man who rules his own household well, and keeps his children ever under control and thoroughly well behaved.
5 ngoba uba umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaligcina njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu?
For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he take charge of a church of God?
6 Kangabi ngosanda ukukholwa, hlezi ngokukhukhunyezwa awele ekulahlweni kukadiyabhola.
He must not be a recent convert, lest he be blinded with pride, and incur the doom of the devil.
7 Kumele futhi ukuthi abe lobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, hlezi awele ekuthukweni lemjibileni kadiyabhola.
He should also have a good reputation among outsiders, lest he fall into reproach, and into a snare of the devil.
8 Ngokunjalo abadikoni bahlonipheke, bangabi ndimimbili, bangananzi iwayini elinengi, bangafisi inzuzo embi,
Deacons, likewise, must be serious, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of gain,
9 babambe imfihlo yokholo esazeleni esimhlophe.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Laba-ke kabaqale bahlolwe, okulandelayo kabakhonze uba bengasoleki.
They should first be tested, and after that, if they are found irreproachable, let them serve as deacons.
11 Ngokunjalo omkabo babe ngabahloniphekayo, abanganyeyiyo, abazithintayo, bethembekile ezintweni zonke.
Deaconesses likewise must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Abadikoni kababe ngamadoda amfazi munye, aphatha kuhle abantwana leyawo imizi.
Let deacons be the husband of but one wife, men who rule their children and their household properly.
13 Ngoba abakhonze kuhle bazizuzela isimilo esihle, lesibindi esikhulu ekholweni olukuKristu Jesu.
For those who have well discharged the duties of a deacon are gaining an honorable position for themselves, as well as much fearless confidence in the faith of Christ Jesus.
14 Lezizinto ngikubhalela zona, ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane;
Although I am hoping to come to you before long,
15 kodwa uba ngibambeka, ukuze wazi ukuthi kufanele uziphathe njani endlini kaNkulunkulu, elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso.
I am writing this to you in case I should be detained, to let you see how you ought to behave in the household of God - the Church of the everliving God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth.
16 Kuyavunywa-ke ukuthi yinkulu imfihlo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu: UNkulunkulu wabonakaliswa enyameni, wathiwa ulungile kuMoya, wabonwa zingilosi, watshunyayelwa ezizweni, wakholeka emhlabeni, wenyuselwa ebukhosini.
Yes! without contradiction, great is the mystery of godliness!
