1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
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,
2in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
2ambayo msingi wake ni tumaini la kupata uzima wa milele. Mungu ambaye hasemi uongo, alituahidia uzima huo kabla ya mwanzo wa nyakati,
3but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;
3na wakati ufaao ulipowadia, akaudhihirisha katika ujumbe wake. Mimi nilikabidhiwa ujumbe huo nuutangaze kufuatana na amri ya Mungu, Mwokozi wetu.
4to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
4Ninakuandikia wewe Tito, mwanangu wa kweli katika imani tunayoshiriki. Nakutakia neema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba, na kutoka kwa Kristo Yesu, Mkombozi wetu.
5I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;
5Nilikuacha Krete ili urekebishe yale mambo ambayo hayakuwa yamekamilika bado, na kuwateua wazee wa kanisa katika kila mji. Kumbuka maagizo yangu:
6if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.
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.
7For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
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.
8but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled;
8Anapaswa kuwa mkarimu na anayependa mambo mema. Anapaswa kuwa mtu mtaratibu, mwadilifu, mtakatifu na mwenye nidhamu.
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 those who contradict him.
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.
10For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
10Maana, wako watu wengi, hasa wale walioongoka kutoka dini ya Kiyahudi, ambao ni wakaidi, wanaowapotosha wengine kwa upumbavu wao.
11whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
11Lazima kukomesha maneno yao, kwani wanavuruga jumuiya nzima kwa kufundisha mambo ambayo hawapaswi kufundisha; wanafanya hivyo kwa nia mbaya ya kupata faida ya fedha.
12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”
12Hata mmoja wa manabii wao, ambaye naye pia ni Mkrete, alisema: "Wakrete, husema uongo daima; ni kama wanyama wabaya, walafi na wavivu!"
13This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
13Naye alitoboa ukweli kwa sababu hiyo, unapaswa kuwakaripia vikali, ili wawe na imani kamilifu.
14not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
14Wasiendelee kushikilia hadithi tupu za Kiyahudi na maagizo ya kibinadamu yanayozuka kwa watu walioukataa ukweli.
15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
15Kila kitu ni safi kwa watu walio safi; lakini hakuna chochote kilicho safi kwa wale waliochafuliwa na wasioamini, maana dhamiri na akili zao zimechafuliwa.
16They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
16Watu kama hao hujidai kwamba wanamjua Mungu, lakini kwa matendo yao humkana. Ni watu wa kuchukiza mno na wakaidi, hawafai kwa jambo lolote jema.