¹This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer or, superintendents, or bishops , he desires a good work.

¹[Ny amin'ny olona miendrika hatao mpitandrina sy diakona] Mahatoky izao teny izao: Raha misy olona maniry ny asan'ny mpitandrina, dia maniry asa tsara izy.

²The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

²Koa ny mpitandrina dia tsy maintsy ho tsy manan-tsiny, manam-bady tokana, mahonon-tena, hendry, tia filaminana, mampiantrano vahiny, mahay mampianatra, [ Gr. episkopo]

³not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

³tsy mpimamo lian'ady, tsy mpikapoka, fa mandefitra, tsy mpila ady, tsy mpitia vola,

⁴one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁴manapaka tsara ny ankohonany, mampanaiky ny zanany amin'ny fahamaotinana tsara

⁵(but if a man doesn’t know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)

⁵(fa raha misy olona tsy mahay mitondra ny ankohonany, hataony ahoana no fitandrina ny fiangonan'Andriamanitra?), [ Gr. eklesia]

⁶not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁶tsy izay zazavao amin'ny fivavahana, fandrao hieboebo foana izy ka ho latsaka amin'ny fahamelohan'ny devoly.

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁷Ary tsy maintsy ho tsara laza koa amin'izay eny ivelany izy, fandrao ho lavo amin'ny fananan-tsiny sy ny fandriky ny devoly.

⁸ Servants or, Deacons. , in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

⁸Ny diakona koa toy izany ihany, ho maotona, tsy miroa teny, tsy tia divay be, tsy tia harena maloto,

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

⁹mitandrina tsara ny zava-miafina ny amin'ny finoana amin'ny fieritreretana madio.

¹⁰Let them also first be tested; then let them serve or, serve as deacons if they are blameless.

¹⁰Ary aoka hizahan-toetra ireo aloha, dia vao hanao ny asan'ny diakona izy, raha tsy manan-tsiny.

¹¹Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹¹Ny vehivavy koa ho toy izany ihany: maotona, tsy mpanendrikendrika, mahonon-tena, mahatoky amin'ny zavatra rehetra.

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

¹²Aoka ny diakona samy hanam-bady tokana sady hanapaka tsara ny zanany sy ny ankohonany.

¹³For those who have served well or, served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹³Fa izay efa mahavatra tsara ny asan'ny diakona dia mahazo toerana tsara ho an'ny tenany sy fahasahiana be amin'ny finoana izay ao amin'i Kristy Jesosy.

¹⁴These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

¹⁴Izany zavatra izany dia soratako aminao, na dia manantena hankatỳ aminao faingana aza aho;

¹⁵but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁵fa raha tratra ela aho, dia ny hahafantaranao izay fitondran-tena mety hatao ao an-tranon'Andriamanitra, dia ny fiangonan'Andriamanitra velona, sady andry sy fiorenan'ny fahamarinana. [ Gr. eklesia]Ary iaraha-manaiky mihitsy fa lehibe ny zava-miafina ny amin'ny toe-panahy araka an'Andriamanitra, dia Ilay naseho teo amin'ny nofo, nohamarinina tao amin'ny Fanahy; hitan'ny anjely, notorina tany amin'ny jentilisa, ninoana teny amin'izao tontolo izao, nakarina tamin'ny voninahitra. [ Na: ho any amin']

¹⁶Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

¹⁶Ary iaraha-manaiky mihitsy fa lehibe ny zava-miafina ny amin'ny toe-panahy araka an'Andriamanitra, dia Ilay naseho teo amin'ny nofo, nohamarinina tao amin'ny Fanahy; hitan'ny anjely, notorina tany amin'ny jentilisa, ninoana teny amin'izao tontolo izao, nakarina tamin'ny voninahitra. [ Na: ho any amin']