Eyokuqala KuThimothi
3 Amazwi la aqotho: Nxa indoda ilalamela umsebenzi wokuba ngumbonisi,+ ifisa umsebenzi omuhle. 2 Ngakho umbonisi kumele abe yindoda engasolekiyo, elenkosikazi eyodwa, ezibambayo kukho konke ekwenzayo, esebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yayo,*+ ehlelekileyo, eyamukela izihambi,+ eyenelisa ukufundisa,+ 3 engayisiso sidakwa,+ engeladlakela* kodwa ezwisisayo,+ engathandi ingxabano,+ engathandi imali,+ 4 ewukhokhela* kuhle umuzi wayo, elabantwana abalalelayo futhi abalembeko,*+ 5 (ngoba nxa indoda ingenelisi ukukhokhela* umuzi wayo, ingenelisa njani ukunakekela ibandla likaNkulunkulu?), 6 ingabi ngumuntu osanda kuguquka+ ngoba ingazikhukhumeza ibisithola ukwahlulelwa okunjengokukaDeveli. 7 Phezu kwalokho, kumele abantu abangayisiwo malunga ebandla+ babe bekhuluma kuhle ngayo* ukuze ingasolwa ngalutho* njalo ingaweli emjibileni kaDeveli.
8 Izinceku ezikhonzayo lazo kumele zingathathi izinto lula, zingabi lobuqili kwezikukhulumayo, zinganathi kakhulu iwayini, zingabi yizihwaba ezithanda ukuthola inzuzo ngokungathembeki+ 9 kodwa zibambelele emfihlweni engcwele yokholo zilomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo.+
10 Kanti njalo kumele baqale bahlolwe ukuthi bafanele yini. Ngemva kwalokho sebengaba zinceku nxa kungelalutho abasolwa ngalo.+
11 Labesifazana kumele bangathathi izinto lula, banganyundeli,+ bazibambe kukho konke abakwenzayo njalo bathembeke ezintweni zonke.+
12 Inceku ekhonzayo kumele ibe yindoda elenkosikazi eyodwa, ekhokhela kuhle abantwabayo lomuzi wayo. 13 Phela nxa amadoda eyiphatha kuhle imisebenzi yawo yenkonzo, aba ngadume ngokuhle futhi aba lenkululeko enkulu yokukhuluma ngokukholwa kwawo kuKhristu uJesu.
14 Lanxa ngilethemba lokuza kuwe masinyane, ngikubhalela izinto lezi 15 ukwenzela ukuthi nxa ngingaphuza, wazi indlela okumele uziphathe ngayo endlini kaNkulunkulu,+ elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso. 16 Imfihlo engcwele yokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu iqakatheke kakhulu sibili: ‘UJesu wabonakala elomzimba wenyama,+ kwathiwa ulungile eselomzimba womoya,+ wabonakala ezingilosini,+ kwatshunyayelwa ngaye ebantwini bezinye izizwe,+ bamkholwa emhlabeni+ njalo wemukelwa enkazimulweni.’