Asafo Mpanyimfo
1Ɛyɛ sɛnnahɔ sɛ, sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔyɛ asafopanyin a, na wafa adwuma pa. 2Asafopanyin yɛ obi a mfomso nni ne ho. Ɛsɛ sɛ ne yere yɛ baako. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbrɛ ne ho ase na ɔhyɛ ne ho so yɛ ne biribiara pɛpɛɛpɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ ogye ahɔho wɔ ne fi na ɔkyerɛkyerɛ nso. 3Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ɔsadweam anaa basabasa, na mmom, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbrɛ ne ho ase na ɔpɛ asomdwoe. Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ sikaniberefo. 4Ɛsɛ sɛ otumi hwɛ ne fifo so yiye na otumi ma ne mma yɛ osetie de obu ne nidi ma no. 5Na sɛ obi nnim sɛnea ɔhwɛ ne fi so yiye a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obetumi ahwɛ Onyankopɔn asafo so? 6Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ obi a afei na wahu Awurade; sɛ ɛba saa a, ne tirim bɛyɛ no dɛ na wayɛ ahomaso ama wɔabu no atɛn sɛnea wobuu ɔbonsam atɛn no. 7Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a wɔnnyɛ akyidifo no mpo de nidi ma no sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrengu nʼanim ase na ɔbonsam afiri renyi no.
Asafo Mu Aboafo
8Ɛsɛ sɛ asafo mu aboafo nso yɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ suban pa na wodi nokware. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔnom nsa pii anaasɛ wɔyɛ aniberefo. 9Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde adwene mu fann gyina pintinn ma nokware no ne gyidi no. 10Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔsɔ wɔn hwɛ ansa, na sɛ wodi sɔhwɛ no so nkonim a wɔasom.
11Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn yerenom nso wɔ suban pa a wonni nseku. Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase di nokware wɔ biribiara mu.
12Ɛsɛ sɛ asafo no mu boafo no wɔ yere baako na afei otumi hwɛ ne mma ne ne fifo yiye. 13Wɔn a wɔsom yiye no benya nnyinaso pa, na wɔn gyidi a wɔwɔ wɔ Kristo Yesu mu no nso ayɛ nam.
14Saa nhoma a mede rebrɛ wo yi akyi no, mewɔ anidaso sɛ ɛrenkyɛ biara mɛba wo nkyɛn. 15Na sɛ mannu wo nkyɛn ntɛm a saa nhoma yi bɛma woahu sɛnea wɔbɔ wɔn bra wɔ Onyankopɔn fi; ofi a ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn teasefo no asafo a ɛyɛ nokware no nnyinaso. 16Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ, ahintasɛm a ɛwɔ nyamesom pa mu no krɔn:
Ɔbae onipa tebea mu,
Honhom no buu no bem,
na abɔfo huu no,
wɔkaa ne ho asɛm wɔ amanaman mu,
na wiase gyee no dii,
wɔfaa no kɔɔ ɔsoro anuonyam mu.
1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 14These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
