Badiyi be gubungano
1 Ndebo iyeyi malebeswa: Ha mmwe eyemula kube nlingi we gubungano unoyemula nshingo nkulu. 2 Ngono nlingi we gubungano wakafanila kube akatambunuka, ali nlume we nkadzi nng'ompela, akadzikama, akatitja, ana ntutshi, ana buthu, etubula diya, 3 asingalaladze, asina ngwa, koga ana moyo nnyolo, asina zhoba, asingade mari. 4 Wakafanila tubula kuyendisa nsha uwe zubuyanana, ediya bana babe kunhwa, benteta kwakafanila. 5 Ha nlume asingazibe kuyendisa nsha uwe, apa ungatjengeta gubungano le Ndzimu tjini kene? 6 Azofanila kube ali nthu wakashanduka ngwenu, ngobe ungadwa ezwikudza ndizo kasumikilisiwa sekwa Satani akasumikilisiwa. 7 Wakafanila kube ana zina buyanana muna bakuzhe, kuti ndizo asitobokiwe kawila mu dati la Satani.
Batiyakoni be gubungano
8 Batiyakoni na ibobo bakafanila kube balume banofanigwa nge kutetiwa, bana malebeswa, basingagale ngolaladza kakale basina bugovu gwe fumwa. 9 Bakafanila bhatilila mu malebeswa e kugalamoyo bana hana mbuyanana. 10 Bakafanila lingisisiwa kutanga, ngono ha kusina tjimwe tjisakalingisana nge kwabo, ngabashinge bali batiyakoni. 11 Sa ikoko, bakadzi bakafanila kube bakadzi bakafanigwa ngotetiwa, basi banotjinya bamwe mazina, koga bali gedzikane, begalikabgwe mu tjimwe ne tjimwe. 12 Ntiyakoni wakafanila kube nlume we nkadzi nng'ompela, kakale wakafanila kulela bana babe ne nsha uwe zubuyanana. 13 Ibabo banoshinga zubuyanana banowana tjimo tjakanaka nenge ganyo mu bugalimoyo gwabo muna Kirisiti Jesu.
Masazibgwe makulu
14 Nenguba ndigalabgwe kuzha ku kuli tjinyolotjo, ndokukwalila milayo iyeyi kuti ndizo 15 ha ndinonoka, unowoziba bathu sekwa bakafanila kuzwibhata mu ng'umba ye Ndzimu, ilo gubungano le Ndzimu unotjila, phanda ne luswingo gwe malebeswa. 16 Nge malebeswa akuna ungalamba masazibgwe e bugalimoyo gwedu:
Wakazha ali nthu,
Meya ikalakidza kuti unolebesa,
kabong'wa nge batumwa be kudzimu.
Kasumikigwa pakati kwe zwitjaba,
kukagagwamoyo munli mu shango yose
katolegwa kudzimu mu gudzo.
Leaders in the Church
1 This is a true saying: If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. 2 A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife, be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; 3 he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money; 4 he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect. 5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God? 6 He must be mature in the faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was. 7 He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devil's trap.
Helpers in the Church
8 Church helpers must also have a good character and be sincere; they must not drink too much wine or be greedy for money; 9 they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They should be tested first, and then, if they pass the test, they are to serve. 11 Their wives also must be of good character and must not gossip; they must be sober and honest in everything. 12 A church helper must have only one wife, and be able to manage his children and family well. 13 Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly about their faith in Christ Jesus.
The Great Secret
14 As I write this letter to you, I hope to come and see you soon. 15 But if I delay, this letter will let you know how we should conduct ourselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 16 No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion:
He appeared in human form,
was shown to be right by the Spirit,
and was seen by angels.
He was preached among the nations,
was believed in throughout the world,
and was taken up to heaven.