¹This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

¹Msemo huu ni wa kweli: mtu akitaka kuwa kiongozi katika kanisa, huyo anatamani kazi nzuri.

²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

²Basi, kiongozi wa kanisa anapaswa awe mtu asiye na lawama; anapaswa awe na mke mmoja tu, awe mwenye kiasi, nidhamu na utaratibu; ni lazima awe mkarimu na anayeweza kufundisha;

³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

³asiwe mlevi au mtu wa matata, bali awe mpole, apendaye amani; asiwe mtu wa kupenda fedha;

⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

⁴anapaswa awe mtu awezaye kuongoza vema nyumba yake, na kuwafanya watoto wake wawe watii kwa heshima yote.

⁵(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

⁵Maana kama mtu hawezi kuongoza vema nyumba yake, atawezaje kulitunza kanisa la Mungu?

⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

⁶Mtu ambaye hajakomaa bado katika imani asifanywe kuwa kiongozi katika kanisa, asije akajaa majivuno na kuhukumiwa kama vile Ibilisi alivyohukumiwa.

⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁷Anapaswa awe mwenye sifa njema kati ya watu walio nje ya kanisa, ili asije akalaumiwa na kuanguka katika mtego wa Ibilisi.

⁸Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

⁸Wasaidizi katika kanisa wanapaswa pia kuwa watu wenye tabia njema na wanyofu; wasiwe wanywaji mno wa divai au wenye tamaa ya fedha;

⁹Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

⁹wanapaswa kuzingatia kwa dhamiri njema ukweli wa ndani wa imani.

¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

¹⁰Ni lazima kwanza wathibitishwe, na wakionekana kuwa wanafaa, basi, watoe huduma yao.

¹¹Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

¹¹Wake zao wanapaswa pia kuwa na tabia njema, wasiowasengenya watu, wenye kiasi na waaminifu katika mambo yote.

¹²Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹²Msaidizi katika kanisa lazima awe na mke moja tu, na awezaye kuongoza vema watoto wake na nyumba yake.

¹³For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹³Maana wasaidizi wanaofanya kazi yao vizuri hujipatia msimamo mzuri, na wanaweza kusema bila hofu juu ya imani yao katika Kristo Yesu.

¹⁴These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

¹⁴Ninakuandikia barua hii nikiwa na matumaini ya kuja kwako hivi karibuni.

¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁵Lakini kama nikicheleweshwa, basi, barua hii itakufahamisha mwenendo tunaopaswa kuwa nao katika nyumba ya Mungu, ambayo ni kanisa la Mungu aliye hai, na ambalo ni nguzo na msingi wa ukweli.

¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

¹⁶Hakuna mashaka yoyote juu ya ukuu wa siri ya dini yetu: Alionekana katika umbo la kibinadamu alithibitishwa na Roho kuwa ni mwadilifu, akaonekana na malaika. Alihubiriwa kati ya mataifa, aliaminiwa popote ulimwenguni, akachukuliwa juu mbinguni katika utukufu.