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

¹ Sanno wo naanaykoy no: da boro go ga Almasihu marga jine boro goy ceeci, goy hanno no bora go ga ceeci.

¹Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

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

² Jine boro mo, tilas kal a ma bara boro kaŋ i si du ka jance, wayboro folloŋ kurnye, boŋ hinko, laakalkooni, boro kaŋ gaa lalabu go, yaw gaayko, boro kaŋ ga waani dondonandiyaŋ.

²The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

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

³ A ma si ciya baji boobo hanko, wala yanjekaari, amma a ma ciya bine baanikoy. A ma si ciya kusuumante, a ma si ciya nooru baako mo.

³no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

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

⁴ A ma waani ka nga boŋ windo dabari hal a ma boori, kaŋ ga naŋ a izey ma maa a se k'a beerandi.

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

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 Zama nda boro si waani ka nga boŋ windo dabari, mate no a ga te ka hin ka Irikoy marga kuru?

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

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

⁶ A ma si ciya mo ganako taji, hal a ma koy ka boŋbeeray te ka kaŋ ciito kaŋ dumi ra Iblisi kaŋ.

⁶not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

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

⁷ A ga tilas mo a ma ciya boro kaŋ gonda seeda hanno borey do kaŋ yaŋ si Almasihu marga ra, hal a ma si ciya wowi hari ka kaŋ Iblisi hirrimi ra.

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

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

⁸ A ga tilas mo saajawkoy ma ciya boroyaŋ kaŋ gaa lalabu go. I ma si ciya me-hinka koyyaŋ. I ma si doona baji boobo haŋyaŋ, i ma si riiba ziibo bini.

⁸Deacons in like manner [must be] grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

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

⁹ I ma cimbeeri gundo gaay bine lasaabu hanno ra.

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

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

¹⁰ Borey din mo, i m'i gosi jina, woodin banda nda janceyaŋ hari si i gaa, i ma te saajawkoyaŋ.

¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.

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

¹¹ Yaadin mo no wandey ma ciya boroyaŋ kaŋ gaa lalabu go. I ma si ciya kormotanteyaŋ, amma i ma ciya boŋ hinkoyaŋ, da naanaykoyyaŋ hay kulu ra.

¹¹Women in like manner [must be] grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

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

¹² Saajawko kulu mo ma ciya wayboro folloŋ kurnye. I ma waani ka ngey izey da ngey windey dabari hal a ma boori.

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

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.

¹³ Zama borey kaŋ yaŋ ga saajawko goy te a ma boori ga du beeray nangu ngey boŋ se. I ga du bine-gaabi bambata mo cimbeeri ra kaŋ go Almasihu Yesu ra.

¹³For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

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

¹⁴ Ay go ga hayey din hantum ni se, baa kaŋ ay gonda beeje ay ma kaa ni do d'a tonton kayna.

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

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.

¹⁵ Amma d'ay gay, kala day ni ma bay mate kaŋ a ga hima borey ma ngey boŋ cabe Irikoy fuwo ra, kaŋ ga ti Irikoy fundikoono marga, kaŋ ga ti cimi bonjara da nga gaayyaŋ haro.

¹⁵but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

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.

¹⁶ Sikka si, iri Irikoy ganayaŋ gundo ga beeri: Irikoy bangay gaaham ra. Biya* _Hanno|_ n'a cabe adilitaraykoy. Malaykey di a. I n'a waazo te dumi cindey game ra. I n'a cimandi ndunnya ra. I n'a sambu beene darza ra.

¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.