1 Thimothewu
Isahluko 3
Likholekile leli zwi elithi: Uma umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, unxanela umsebenzi omuhle.
2 Ngakho umbonisi umelwe abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda emfazi munye, abe ngozikhuzayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ongenisa izihambi, onesu lokufundisa,
3 ongesilo ixhwele lewayini, ongesiso isilwi, kepha omnene, ongaxabaniyo, onganxaneli imali,
4 ophatha kahle indlu yakhe, abantwana bakhe bemthobela ngenhlonipho yonke —
5 kepha uma umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaliphatha kanjani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na? —
6 angabi ngosanda kukholwa, funa ngokukhukhumala ayele ekulahlweni kukaSathane.
7 Kumelwe futhi ukuba abe nobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, funa ayele esihlambeni nasesihibeni sikaSathane.
8 Ngokunjalo namadiyakoni kufanele abe nesizotha, angabi ndimimbili, angabi ngabanaka kakhulu iwayini, angahaheli inzuzo embi,
9 ephethe imfihlakalo yokukholwa kunembeza omhlophe.
10 Nalabo mabaqale bahlolwe, andukuba babe ngamadiyakoni, uma bengasoleki.
11 Ngokunjalo nabesifazane mababe nesizotha, abangahlebi, abazithibayo, abathembekayo ezintweni zonke.
12 Amadiyakoni mawabe ngamadoda amfazi munye, abusa kahle abantwana bawo nemizi yawo.
13 Ngokuba amadiyakoni akhonze kahle azizuzela ukuma kahle nesibindi esikhulu ekukholweni okukuKristu Jesu.
14 Lokhu ngikulobela khona ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane;
15 kepha uma ngilibala, khona uyakwazi ukuthi kumelwe ukuba abantu bahambe kanjani endlini kaNkulunkulu eyibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nesisekelo seqiniso.
16 Kuvunyiwe ukuthi inkulu imfihlakalo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu yokuthi: Owabonakaliswa enyameni, walungisiswa emoyeni, wabonwa yizingelosi, washunyayelwa ezizweni, wakholeka ezweni, waphakanyiselwa enkazimulweni.