Church Officials
1 It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile. 2 That's why officials must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage. They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved, friendly to strangers, and able to teach. 3 They must not be heavy drinkers or troublemakers. Instead, they must be kind and gentle and not love money.
4 Church officials must be in control of their own families, and they must see that their children are obedient and always respectful. 5 If they don't know how to control their own families, how can they look after God's people?
6 They must not be new followers of the Lord. If they are, they might become proud and be doomed along with the devil. 7 Finally, they must be well-respected by people who are not followers. Then they won't be trapped and disgraced by the devil.
Church Officers
8 Church officers should be serious. They must not be liars, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. 9 And they must have a clear conscience and hold firmly to what God has shown us about our faith. 10 They must first prove themselves. Then if no one has anything against them, they can serve as officers.
11 Women must also be serious. They must not gossip or be heavy drinkers, and they must be faithful in everything they do.
12 Church officers must be faithful in marriage. They must be in full control of their children and everyone else in their home. 13 Those who serve well as officers will earn a good reputation and will be highly respected for their faith in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Our Religion
14 I hope to visit you soon. But I am writing these instructions, 15 so if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth.
16 Here is the great mystery of our religion:
Christ came as a human.
The Spirit proved
that he pleased God,
and he was seen by angels.
Christ was preached
to the nations.
People in this world
put their faith in him,
and he was taken up to glory.
aza 3
lijowiṯ ledi kaniiza
1 ŋiɽaŋal ŋiri rerem, ma kwere orɔ zurum eḏi naŋni ŋɔḏɽor ŋeḏi kwijowiṯ kweḏi kaniiza, eṯuŋw naŋni ŋɔḏɽor ŋizaw. 2 eḏi kwijowiṯ eni kwofḏana, kweḏi kwayu kwutuput, kweṯi zi icicaci ŋama-ŋamaŋ ŋeḏi kaniiza, kwiḏi ṯugwori kwɔmne-na tatap, kweṯeḏi ŋiɽaŋali ŋizaw ŋeḏi yeyna, kweṯamɽi lirina, kweḏi ŋuma eḏizilŋiiḏini lir ter; 3 kwiti kweṯamɽi kiɽcaŋi mac, kwiti kweṯipii kwere mac, kwir kwiɽena, kwiti kweṯi məmilḏi mac, na kwiti kweṯi miidaḏa kwuruuza tɔk mac. 4 lazim eḏuŋw eni kweṯi daɽmaḏa duənuŋw kwuŋwun ŋamaŋ, na kweṯi nyor nyuŋwun inyizi nana, na eḏi iɽi ŋunduŋwu-na tɔk; 5 kaka muŋw ere edi ŋuma eḏi daɽmaḏa duənuŋw kwuŋwun mac ta, ŋwu ma aŋraci kaniiza keḏi Allah aŋgwuru? 6 eḏuŋw ere orɔ kwruztyan kwiaŋ mac, mindaŋ muŋw piŋi rɔgwɽɔ, ŋwu iideḏa ki hukm-na weḏi zeyṯaan. 7 eḏuŋw orɔ tɔk kwete kwofḏana ki yey-na yeḏi kla par ŋgi la, mindaŋ mer ere uŋwuni mac eḏi iidezi ŋunduŋwu kiɽbin-na keḏi zeyṯaan.
8 kaka taŋwu, lazim eḏi lor lir lizamaamaz eni lofḏana, liti lir riŋla riɽen mac, liti leṯi naŋni kiɽcaŋi mac, na liti leṯi miidaḏa kwuruuza tɔk mac. 9 lazim er miḏa ṯəmna ṯir ŋejmeṯ ŋupa ṯugwor ṯi ṯuzuɽu-na. 10 eḏir zi ṯeci kla kerreny tɔk, mindaŋ edi ma miḏa ŋɔḏɽor ŋeḏi lizamaamaz lofḏana, liira loma-na lere mac. 11 kaka ṯaŋwu tɔk, eḏi law leŋen eni lofḏana, liti leṯi uŋwuni lizi mac, leṯeni liḏi rugwori, lirlalu kwɔmne-na tatap. 12 eḏi lizamaamaz tatap eḏi layu lere lere, leṯi daɽmaḏa nyoru nyeŋen, na duənuŋw kweŋen tatap kwizaw. 13 na mer aki ŋɔḏɽor ŋeŋen ŋizaw lir lizamaamaz, ezi liḏaḏu ruzi lofḏana, er bonye ṯəmna ṯi ṯupa eḏi Kwruztu-na kweni Yecu.
14 nyi kwaki kizen eḏila nani ŋa gwu fitak, lakin na ŋazi luca ŋu mindaŋ, 15 menyi kinna ɽindaŋnalu ləlu tuk, ezi ta elŋe rac ŋeŋgi zi erri ki duənu kweḏi Allah, kwir kaniiza keḏi Allah wumiiḏu, kir riɽḏin reṯi miḏeḏa ŋirlalu la. 16 ŋiɽaŋal ŋiri ŋejmet ŋupa ŋiminni ŋeḏi ḏiin ṯeri ṯeḏi Allah, kaka ŋuluḏina, ŋaruŋw:
na ŋundu, nuŋw ruwenizelu kwir aŋna,
ner inḏa kwofḏana eḏi Ṯigɽim-na,
kwumɔ limaleyka eze,
na ŋeni ŋuŋun ner zi andazi ki ŋeleny-na tatap,
ner zi emni ṯurmun-na nana,
kwumer allazi ki ŋiniṯ la.