Philemon 1
1 From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
Pol, indji u tie ndu Kristi Yesu, ba-mba vayi ma Timoti hi ni Filimon, ikpan mbu ni ikpan tie ndu mbu,
2 To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;
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.
3 may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
Dun Aliheri he ni yi ni sie rji ni Irji, Itti mbu ni Bachi Yesu Kristi.
4 I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
Mi zie bre Irji mu. Mi yo yi ni mi bre mu chachu.
5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
Mi woh ye nitu son mba yo'shi ni Irji wa bi he niwu nimi Bachi Yesu mba ni wawu bi hu Irji.
6 and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
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.
7 I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.
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.
8 And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
Nika, mi he ni gbengblen suron nimi Kristi wa mi ndi dun wu tie kpe wa-abi dun tie,
9 yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.
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.
10 I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
Mi miye u, ivre mu Onisimu, ime mi tima ni brusuna.
11 Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;
Ana kpa tie meme niwu, ama zizan ahi vren ndindima niwu u ni me ngame.
12 and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
Mi tru'u dun kma ye niwu, a vren u suron mu.
13 For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.
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.
14 But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.
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.
15 It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (aiōnios g166)
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 g166)
16 no longer as a slave, but as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!
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.
17 If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
U toh bi kpa me nji na ikpan tie ndu niyi, kpa-u ngame na wa bi kpa me.
18 If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
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.
19 I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
Ime Pol, mi nha ni'wwo mu: mi hahn yi. Ana ndi bi kma tie ihla ni'wwo mu na.
20 Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
Eih, vayi, tie nimu wayi nimi Bachi; kpa suron mu ku-si nimi Kristi.
21 Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
Gbengble suron nitu wo-ttre mbi, misi nha ye niyi. Mi toh ndi bi tie bran zan ikpe wa mi meyi me.
22 Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.
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.
23 Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
Epafras, ikpan mu u tie ndu nimi Kristi Yesu, a-ndi dun mi chi yi.
24 and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
U Markus, Aristachus, Demas, u mba Luka, ba kpukpan tie ndu mu.
25 May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
Dun Liheri u Bachi Mbu Yesu Kristi hu ni suron mbi. Amin
