1 Timote 3

1 Ko e tala moʻoni eni, Kapau ʻoku holi ʻe ha tangata ki he ngaue ʻoe faifekau, ʻoku holi ia ki ha ngaue lelei.

This is a true saying, If any man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a worthie worke.

2 Ko ia ʻoku totonu ke taʻehalaia ʻae faifekau, ke mali mo e fefine pe taha ke faʻa tokanga, mo anga fakapotopoto, ʻo anga matamatalelei, mo angaʻofa, ʻo faʻa ako:

A Bishop therefore must be vnreproueable, the husband of one wife, watching, temperate, modest, harberous, apt to teache,

3 ‌ʻO ʻikai faʻa inu uaine, ʻo ʻikai ko e faʻa tā, pe ko e holi ki he koloa ʻuli; kae faʻa kātaki, pea ʻe ʻikai te ne fakakikihi, pe manumanu;

Not giuen to wine, no striker, not giuen to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not couetous,

4 Ko e tokotaha ʻoku pule lelei ki hono fale ʻoʻona, ʻi he anga fakamotuʻa kotoa pē kuo anganofo ʻene fānau kiate ia;

One that can rule his owne house honestly, hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie.

5 He kapau ʻoku ʻikai ʻilo ʻe ha tangata ke pule ʻi hono fale ʻoʻona, ʻe fēfē koā ʻene tauhi ʻae siasi ʻoe ʻOtua?

For if any cannot rule his owne house, how shall he care for the Church of God?

6 ‌ʻIkai ko e taha toki liliu, telia naʻa vikiviki ia ʻi he laukau, pea tō ai ia ki he malaʻiaʻanga ʻoe tēvolo:

He may not be a yong scholer, lest he being puffed vp fall into the condemnation of the deuill.

7 Pea ʻoku totonu foki ke ongoongolelei ia ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku ʻi tuaʻā; naʻa tō ia ki he manuki mo e hele ʻae tēvolo.

He must also be well reported of, euen of them which are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and the snare of the deuill.

8 Pea ke anga fakamotuʻa ʻae kau akonaki foki, ʻoua naʻa felohiʻaki, ʻoua naʻa faʻa inu uaine, pe holi ki he koloa ʻuli;

Likewise must Deacons be graue, not double tongued, not giuen vnto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,

9 Kae puke maʻu ʻae meʻa fakalilolilo ʻoe tui ʻi he ʻatamai lelei.

Hauing the mysterie of the faith in pure conscience.

10 Pea ke fuofua ʻahiʻahi kiate kinautolu ni foki; pea nau toki hoko ki he ngaue ʻoe akonaki, kuo taʻehalaia.

And let them first be proued: then let them minister, if they be found blameles.

11 Pea ke anga fakalongo pē ʻa [honau ]uaifi, ʻikai ko e kau fakakovi, kae anga fakapotopoto, ʻo angatotonu ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē.

Likewise their wiues must be honest, not euill speakers, but sober, and faithfull in all things.

12 Pea ke mali taki tokotaha ʻae kau akonaki mo e fefine pe taha, ʻo puleʻi lelei ʻenau fānau mo honau fale ʻonautolu.

Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.

13 He ko kinautolu kuo fai ʻo lelei ʻae ngaue ʻae akonaki, te nau maʻu kiate kinautolu ʻae hikiʻanga lelei, mo e mālohi lahi ʻi he tui ʻaia ʻoku ʻia Kalaisi Sisu.

For they that haue ministred well, get them selues a good degree, and great libertie in the faith, which is in Christ Iesus.

14 Ko e ngaahi meʻa ni ʻoku ou tohi atu kiate koe, ʻi heʻeku ʻamanaki ʻe vave ʻeku ʻalu atu kiate koe:

These things write I vnto thee, trusting to come very shortly vnto thee.

15 Kae ʻilonga ʻeku tuai atu, pea ke ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku totonu ke ke fai ʻe koe ʻi he fale ʻoe ʻOtua, ʻaia ko e siasi ʻoe ʻOtua moʻui, ko hono pou mo e tuʻunga ʻoe moʻoni.

But if I tary long, that thou maist yet know, how thou oughtest to behaue thy self in ye house of God, which is the Church of the liuing God, the pillar and ground of trueth.

16 Pea ko e moʻoni ʻaupito ko e meʻa lahi ʻae meʻa fakalilolilo ʻoe lotu: ko e ʻOtua naʻe fakahā ʻi he kakano, naʻe fakamoʻoni ia ʻi he Laumālie, naʻe mamata kiate ia ʻae kau ʻāngelo, naʻe malangaʻaki ia ki he Senitaile, naʻe tui kiate ia ʻi māmani, pea maʻu hake ia ki he nāunau.

And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.