1 Timote 3

1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

1KO E tala moʻoni eni, Kapau ʻoku holi ʻe ha tangata ki he ngaue ʻoe faifekau, ʻoku holi ia ki ha ngaue lelei.

2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

2Ko ia ʻoku totonu ke taʻehalaia ʻae faifekau, ke ʻunoho mo e fefine pe taha ke faʻa tokanga, mo anga fakapotopoto, ʻo anga matamatalelei, mo angaʻofa, ʻo faʻa ako:

3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

3‌ʻO ʻikai faʻa inu uaine, ʻo ʻikai ko e faʻa tā, pe ko e holi ki he koloa ʻuli; kae faʻa kātaki, pea ʻe ʻikai te ne fakakikihi, pe manumanu;

4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,

4Ko e tokotaha ʻoku pule lelei ki hono fale ʻoʻona, ʻi he anga fakamotuʻa kotoa pē kuo anganofo ʻene fānau kiate ia;

5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?

5He kapau ʻoku ʻikai ʻilo ʻe ha tangata ke pule ʻi hono fale ʻoʻona, ʻe fēfē koā ʻene tauhi ʻae siasi ʻoe ʻOtua?

6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

6‌ʻIkai ko e taha toki liliu, telia naʻa vikiviki ia ʻi he laukau, pea tō ai ia ki he malaʻiaʻanga ʻoe tēvolo:

7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

7Pea ʻoku totonu foki ke ongoongolelei ia ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku ʻi tuaʻā; naʻa tō ia ki he manuki mo e hele ʻae tēvolo.

8Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

8Pea ke anga fakamotuʻa ʻae kau akonaki foki, ʻoua naʻa felohiʻaki, ʻoua naʻa faʻa inu uaine, pe holi ki he koloa ʻuli;

9They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

9Kae puke maʻu ʻae meʻa fakalilolilo ʻoe tui ʻi he ʻatamai lelei.

10And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

10Pea ke fuofua ʻahiʻahi kiate kinautolu ni foki; pea nau toki hoko ki he ngaue ʻoe akonaki, kuo taʻehalaia.

11Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

11Pea ke anga fakalongo pē ʻa honau ʻunoho, ʻikai ko e kau fakakovi, kae anga fakapotopoto, ʻo angatotonu ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē.

12Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

12Pea ke ʻunoho taki tokotaha ʻae kau akonaki mo e fefine pe taha, ʻo puleʻi lelei ʻenau fānau mo honau fale ʻonautolu.

13For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

13He ko kinautolu kuo fai ʻo lelei ʻae ngaue ʻae akonaki, te nau maʻu kiate kinautolu ʻae hikiʻanga lelei, mo e mālohi lahi ʻi he tui ʻaia ʻoku ʻia Kalaisi Sisu.

14I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,

14Ko e ngaahi meʻa ni ʻoku ou tohi atu kiate koe, ʻi heʻeku ʻamanaki ʻe vave ʻeku ʻalu atu kiate koe:

15if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

15Kae ʻilonga ʻeku tuai atu, pea ke ʻilo ʻaia ʻoku totonu ke ke fai ʻe koe ʻi he fale ʻoe ʻOtua, ʻaia ko e siasi ʻoe ʻOtua moʻui, ko hono pou mo e tuʻunga ʻoe moʻoni.

16Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

16Pea ko e moʻoni ʻaupito ko e meʻa lahi ʻae meʻa fakalilolilo ʻoe lotu: ko e ʻOtua naʻe fakahā ʻi he kakano, naʻe fakamoʻoni ia ʻi he Laumālie, naʻe mamata kiate ia ʻae kau ʻāngelo, naʻe malangaʻaki ia ki he Senitaile, naʻe tui kiate ia ʻi māmani, pea maʻu hake ia ki he nāunau.