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

¹Stedfast [is] the word: If any one the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth;

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;

²it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

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

³not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,

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

⁴his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

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

⁵(and if any one his own house [how] to lead hath not known, how an assembly of God shall he take care of?)

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

⁶not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;

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

⁷and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.

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

⁸Ministrants — in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,

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

⁹having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,

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

¹⁰and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.

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

¹¹Women — in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.

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

¹²Ministrants — let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,

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

¹³for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that [is] in Christ Jesus.

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

¹⁴These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee soon,

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.

¹⁵and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth [thee] to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God — a pillar and foundation of the truth,

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.

¹⁶and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety — God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!