1 Timothy 3
1 Liqinisile izwi elithi: Uma umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, unxanela umsebenzi omuhle;
2 Ngakho umbhishobhi umelwe ukuba ngongasolekiyo, indoda emfazi munye, eqaphile, eqondileyo, eziphatha kahle, ephatha kahle izihambi, enekhono lokufundisa;
3 Ongadakwanga iwayini, ongesiye oshayayo, ongahaheli inzuzo embi; kodwa ibekezele, ingabi yingxabano, ingabi ngabahahayo;
4 ongamela kahle owakhe umuzi, enabantwana abamthobela ngakho konke ukuhlonipheka;
5 (Ngokuba uma umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaliphatha kanjani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?)
6 angabi ngosafufusa, funa azikhukhumeze awele ekulahlweni kukaSathane.
7 Phezu kwalokho umelwe ukunobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle; funa awele esihlazweni nasogibeni lukaSathane.
8 Ngokunjalo namadiyakoni amelwe ukuba nesizotha, angabi ndimimbili, angabi ngabanakwa kakhulu, angahaheli inzuzo embi;
9 nibambe imfihlakalo yokukholwa kunembeza omhlophe.
10 Nalaba mabaqale bahlolwe; khona-ke mabasebenzise isikhundla sobudikoni bengasoleki.
11 Kanjalo omkabo mababe nesizotha, bangabi ngabahlebi, abaqondileyo, abathembekile ezintweni zonke.
12 Amadiyakoni mawabe ngamadoda amfazi munye, abusa kahle abantwana nemizi yawo.
13 Ngokuba abakhonze kahle bazizuzela udumo oluhle nesibindi esikhulu ekukholweni okukuKristu Jesu.
14 Lezizinto ngikubhalela zona, ngethemba lokuza kuwe masinyane;
15 Kepha uma ngilibala, ukuze wazi ukuthi kufanele ukuziphatha kanjani endlini kaNkulunkulu, eyibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nesisekelo seqiniso.
16 Futhi ngokungangabazeki inkulu imfihlakalo yokumesaba uNkulunkulu: UNkulunkulu wabonakaliswa enyameni, walungisiswa emoyeni, wabonwa yizingelosi, washunyayelwa kwabezizwe, wakholeka emhlabeni, wemukelwa enkazimulweni.