< Filimo 1 >
1 Pol, indji u tie ndu Kristi Yesu, ba-mba vayi ma Timoti hi ni Filimon, ikpan mbu ni ikpan tie ndu mbu,
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 nda hi ni Afia vayi mbu vrenwa, nda hi ni Akipus ikpan u taku mbu, nda hi ni Chochi wa bi rii ni koh mbi.
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 Dun Aliheri he ni yi ni sie rji ni Irji, Itti mbu ni Bachi Yesu Kristi.
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Mi zie bre Irji mu. Mi yo yi ni mi bre mu chachu.
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 Mi woh ye nitu son mba yo'shi ni Irji wa bi he niwu nimi Bachi Yesu mba ni wawu bi hu Irji.
because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;
6 Mi bre nitu zohn tu-mbi u yo'shi nitu Irji dun vu-kri nitu toh ba kpie bi ndindima wa ahe ni mbu nimi Kristi.
praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.
7 U mi ngyri banbran ni vu-suron nitu son kpa mbi, nitu suron bi wa ba hu Irji ba he ngelelen me ni tie me, vayi.
For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.
8 Nika, mi he ni gbengblen suron nimi Kristi wa mi ndi dun wu tie kpe wa-abi dun tie,
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 u mi k'ma bre-wu nitu son u Irji - Ime, Pol, chiche ndji, u zizan mi ndji na ba tro me ni Kristi Yesu.
it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
10 Mi miye u, ivre mu Onisimu, ime mi tima ni brusuna.
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 Ana kpa tie meme niwu, ama zizan ahi vren ndindima niwu u ni me ngame.
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 Mi tru'u dun kma ye niwu, a vren u suron mu.
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 Mi na son ndi mini kawu zi ni me, don dun tie nimu ndu u'mbi, ka mi ri he ni loh nitu itre Irji.
It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.
14 Mina son ndi mi tie-kpe hama ni kpa nyime me na. Mina son ndi dun tie ume wa ndi a bi'a dun he nitu gbigbi na u ka he ndi wu tie rji nimi suron ndindima.
Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.
15 U a rjuto ahi nitu wayi mba ba chu-u rju rji niwu ni vi tsaa ntoh, nitu ani la kma ye nda he niwu ni wawu ntoh. (aiōnios )
For perhaps it was for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours; (aiōnios )
16 Ana la tie grahn ngana, ani tie bi zan tie u grahn, immri vayi bi son suron mu. Ahi ndji ndindima nda ri nimi suron mu zan, u gra ma niyi ngame, nimi ikpa yi ni nimi Bachi.
no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian.
17 U toh bi kpa me nji na ikpan tie ndu niyi, kpa-u ngame na wa bi kpa me.
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 To a tie-kpe wa isuron mbi na banwu na u nda kpa ihla ni yi, ko ani hi nge a kpa, bla yo ni tu mu.
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 Ime Pol, mi nha ni'wwo mu: mi hahn yi. Ana ndi bi kma tie ihla ni'wwo mu na.
I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)
20 Eih, vayi, tie nimu wayi nimi Bachi; kpa suron mu ku-si nimi Kristi.
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Gbengble suron nitu wo-ttre mbi, misi nha ye niyi. Mi toh ndi bi tie bran zan ikpe wa mi meyi me.
I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.
22 Nimi ntoh ki, bika mlah mitra u bitsri tie ni mi, don mi si yo'shi ndi nitu ibre mbi, ba nji me kma ye ni yi.
And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.
23 Epafras, ikpan mu u tie ndu nimi Kristi Yesu, a-ndi dun mi chi yi.
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 U Markus, Aristachus, Demas, u mba Luka, ba kpukpan tie ndu mu.
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Dun Liheri u Bachi Mbu Yesu Kristi hu ni suron mbi. Amin
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.