¹Mimi Paulo, mtumishi wa Mungu na mtume wa Yesu Kristo naandika. Mimi nimechaguliwa kuijenga imani ya wateule wa Mungu na kuwaongoza waufahamu ukweli wa dini yetu,

¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

²ambayo msingi wake ni tumaini la kupata uzima wa milele. Mungu ambaye hasemi uongo, alituahidia uzima huo kabla ya mwanzo wa nyakati,

²in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal;

³na wakati ufaao ulipowadia, akaudhihirisha katika ujumbe wake. Mimi nilikabidhiwa ujumbe huo nuutangaze kufuatana na amri ya Mungu, Mwokozi wetu.

³but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

⁴Ninakuandikia wewe Tito, mwanangu wa kweli katika imani tunayoshiriki. Nakutakia neema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba, na kutoka kwa Kristo Yesu, Mkombozi wetu.

⁴to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

⁵Nilikuacha Krete ili urekebishe yale mambo ambayo hayakuwa yamekamilika bado, na kuwateua wazee wa kanisa katika kila mji. Kumbuka maagizo yangu:

⁵For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;

⁶mzee wa kanisa anapaswa kuwa mtu asiye na hatia; aliye na mke mmoja tu, na watoto wake wanapaswa kuwa waumini, wasiojulikana kuwa wakorofi au wakaidi.

⁶if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly.

⁷Maana kwa vile kiongozi wa kanisa ni mkurugenzi wa kazi ya Mungu, anapaswa kuwa mtu asiye na hatia. Asiwe mwenye majivuno, mwepesi wa hasira, mlevi, mkorofi au mchoyo.

⁷For the bishop must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;

⁸Anapaswa kuwa mkarimu na anayependa mambo mema. Anapaswa kuwa mtu mtaratibu, mwadilifu, mtakatifu na mwenye nidhamu.

⁸but given to hospitality, as lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;

⁹Ni lazima ashike kikamilifu ujumbe ule wa kuaminika kama unavyofundishwa. Ndivyo atakavyoweza kuwatia wengine moyo kwa mafundisho ya kweli na kuyafichua makosa ya wale wanaoyapinga mafundisho hayo.

⁹holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.

¹⁰Maana, wako watu wengi, hasa wale walioongoka kutoka dini ya Kiyahudi, ambao ni wakaidi, wanaowapotosha wengine kwa upumbavu wao.

¹⁰For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision,

¹¹Lazima kukomesha maneno yao, kwani wanavuruga jumuiya nzima kwa kufundisha mambo ambayo hawapaswi kufundisha; wanafanya hivyo kwa nia mbaya ya kupata faida ya fedha.

¹¹whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

¹²Hata mmoja wa manabii wao, ambaye naye pia ni Mkrete, alisema: "Wakrete, husema uongo daima; ni kama wanyama wabaya, walafi na wavivu!"

¹²One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.

¹³Naye alitoboa ukweli kwa sababu hiyo, unapaswa kuwakaripia vikali, ili wawe na imani kamilifu.

¹³This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁴Wasiendelee kushikilia hadithi tupu za Kiyahudi na maagizo ya kibinadamu yanayozuka kwa watu walioukataa ukweli.

¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

¹⁵Kila kitu ni safi kwa watu walio safi; lakini hakuna chochote kilicho safi kwa wale waliochafuliwa na wasioamini, maana dhamiri na akili zao zimechafuliwa.

¹⁵To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

¹⁶Watu kama hao hujidai kwamba wanamjua Mungu, lakini kwa matendo yao humkana. Ni watu wa kuchukiza mno na wakaidi, hawafai kwa jambo lolote jema.

¹⁶They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.