Philemon 1
1 [I], Paul, am a prisoner [who serves] Christ Jesus. [I am here] with Timothy, our fellow believer. [I am writing this letter] to [you], Philemon, our dear [friend] and fellow worker.
Na Paora, na te herehere a Karaiti Ihu, na to taua teina hoki, na Timoti, ki ta maua e aroha nei, ki to maua hoa mahi, ki a Pirimona,
2 [I am also writing] to [your wife], Apphia, and to Archippus, [who is like] [MET] our fellow soldier [because he serves Christ steadfastly together with us]. I am also [writing this] to the congregation [that meets/gathers] in your [(sg)] house.
Ki a Apia hoki, ko to maua tuahine, ki to maua hoa hoia, ki a Arakipu, ki te hahi hoki i tou whare:
3 [I pray that] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to] act kindly toward you all and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.
Kia tau te aroha noa ki a koutou, me te rangimarie, he mea na te Atua, na to tatou Matua, na te Ariki hoki, na Ihu Karaiti.
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]
Tenei ahau te whakawhetai atu nei ki toku Atua, mau tonu toku mahara ki a koe i aku karakiatanga:
5 and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
He rongo noku ki tou aroha, ki tou whakapono ki te Ariki, ki a Ihu, a ki te hunga tapu katoa;
6 I pray that as a result of your knowing all the good things [that God/Christ has done for] us, you may (be effective/influence many others) as you tell others what you believe, in order that [they may honor] Christ.
Mo te whakahoatanga mai o tou whakapono kia whai mana, i runga i te matauranga ki nga pai katoa i roto i a koutou, he mea ki a Karaiti Ihu.
7 I have rejoiced greatly and have been greatly encouraged because you, my dear friend, have acted lovingly toward God’s people by encouraging them [SYN].
He nui hoki to matou koa, marie ana hoki te ngakau i tou aroha, no te mea e ora ana nga ngakau o te hunga tapu i a koe, e toku teina.
8 So [I have a request/favor to ask of you]. I am completely confident [that I have authority] to command you [to do] what you ought to do, because [I am an apostle of] Christ.
Heoi ahakoa he nui toku maia i roto i a te Karaiti ki te whakatakoto atu i te mea tika ki a koe,
9 But because [I know that you] love [God’s people], I request this instead of [commanding you to do it]. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner [because I serve] Christ Jesus, [who am requesting it].
Na te aroha ke taku ka inoi atu nei, ara taku, ta te koroheke, ta Paora, he herehere nei inaianei na Ihu Karaiti;
10 I request that you [do something] for someone [who has become like] my own son [because I told him about Christ] [MET] while [I have been] a prisoner [MTY] [here. His name is] Onesimus.
He kupu tenei naku ki a koe mo taku tamaiti, mo Onehimu, he mea whanau naku i ahau nei i te herehere:
11 Although [his name, as you know, means ‘useful’], formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!
I mua, kahore tetahi mea pai ana ki a koe; inaianei ia, kua whai pai koe i a ia, ahau ano hoki.
12 Although (he is [as dear to me as/I love him as much as I love]) [MET] my own self [MTY], I am sending him back to you.
Kua whakahokia atu nei ia e ahau, tona tinana tonu, ko toku manawa ake ia.
13 I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf, while I am a prisoner [MTY] [because of my preaching] the message [about Christ].
I mea ano ahau kia puritia ia ki ahau, hei whakakapi mou ki te mahi ki ahau i roto i nga mekameka o te rongopai:
14 Nevertheless, because [I had not yet asked you and] you had not yet permitted me [to keep him here with me], I decided not to [keep him here. I decided that I should] not do anything without your permitting it. [I decided that you should help me only if you] really want to help me.
Otira kahore nei tau kupu, kihai ahau i pai kia meatia tetahi mea; kei riro whakauaua mai tou pai; engari i roto ano i te ngakau.
15 Perhaps the reason that [God permitted] Onesimus to be separated from {to leave} you for a little while was that [he would believe in Christ, and as a result] you would have him (back/with you) forever! (aiōnios g166)
Ko te mea ano pea tenei i motuhia mai ai ia i a koe mo tetahi wa, kia mau pu ai ia i a koe ake ake; (aiōnios g166)
16 [You will no longer have him only] as a slave. Instead, [you will have him] as [someone who is] more than a slave. [You will have him] as a fellow believer! He is especially dear to me, but he certainly will be more dear to you [than he is to me] (OR, I love him very much, but you will certainly love him more than I do), [because now he] not only belongs to you but he also belongs to the Lord.
Ehara i te mea hei pononga ia i enei wa, engari tera atu i te pononga, he teina i nui rawa ai toku aroha, tera ia e nui rawa atu tou, i te kikokiko, i te Ariki ano hoki.
17 So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
Na, ki te mea kua waiho ahau hei hoa mou, manako mai ki a ia me te mea ko ahau.
18 If he has wronged you in any manner or if he owes you anything, (charge that to me/tell me so that I can pay you).
Ki te mea ia kua he ia ki tetahi mea au, kei a ia ranei tetahi mea au, waiho mai maku tena e whakaaro;
19 I, Paul, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you, although I might mention to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus may owe you, because it was the result of my telling you about Christ that God saved you.
He tuhituhi tenei naku, na Paora, na toku ringaringa ake, maku e whakautu; na kahore aku meatanga atu ki a koe, tera ano taku taonga kei a koe, ko koe ano.
20 (Yes/I say it again), my dear friend, because you and I both have a relationship with the Lord, I want you to do this for me. Encourage me [SYN] [by receiving Onesimus kindly, just like you encourage others who believe] in Christ.
Ae ra, e toku teina, kia whai pai ahau i a koe i roto i te Ariki: kia ora toku ngakau i roto i te Ariki.
21 I have written [this letter] to you, confident that you will do what I am requesting you to [do]. [In fact], I know that you will do even more than what I am requesting [you to do].
He u no toku whakaaro ki a koe ka ngohengohe, i tuhituhi atu ai ahau ki a koe, e mohio ana hoki, tera e nui atu tau e mea ai i taku e korero atu nei.
22 Also, keep a guest room ready for me [to stay in], because I confidently expect that as a result of your prayers [for me, I] will be released [from prison and will come] to you all.
Tenei ano hoki, kia rite mai i a koe tetahi whare moku: e mea ana hoki ahau tera e mana a koutou inoi, a ka tukua atu ahau kia a koutou.
23 Epaphras, who is [suffering] with me in prison because of [his serving] Christ Jesus, (sends his greetings to you/wants you to know that he is thinking fondly about you).
Tenei te oha atu nei ki a koe a Epapara, toku hoa herehere i roto i a Karaiti Ihu,
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my [other] fellow workers, also (send their greetings to you/want you to know that they are thinking fondly about you).
Ratou tahi ko Maka, ko Aritaku, ko Rimaha, ko Ruka, oku hoa mahi.
25 [I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).
Kia tau te aroha noa o to tatou Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti ki o koutou wairua. Amine.
