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.
Kuchokera kwa Paulo, amene ndili mʼndende chifukwa cha Khristu Yesu ndi Timoteyo mʼbale wathu. Kulembera Filemoni, bwenzi lathu lokondedwa ndi mtumiki mnzathu.
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.
Kwa Apiya mlongo wathu, Arkipo msilikali mnzathu, ndiponso mpingo umene umasonkhana mʼnyumba mwanu.
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.
Chisomo ndi mtendere zochokera kwa Mulungu Atate athu ndi Ambuye Yesu Khristu zikhale ndi inu.
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]
Ine ndimayamika Mulungu wanga nthawi zonse ndikakukumbukira iwe mʼmapemphero anga.
5 and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
Pakuti ndamva za chikondi chako, za chikhulupiriro chako mwa Ambuye Yesu ndiponso za chikondi chako pa oyera mtima onse.
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.
Ine ndikupemphera kuti mgwirizano wako ndi ife mʼchikhulupiriro ukhale opindulitsa pozamitsa nzeru zako zozindikira zinthu zilizonse zabwino zimene timagawana chifukwa cha Khristu.
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].
Mʼbale, chikondi chako chandipatsa chimwemwe chachikulu ndi chilimbikitso, chifukwa umatsitsimutsa mitima ya anthu a Ambuye.
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.
Tsopano ngakhale kuti mwa Khristu nditha kulimba mtima ndi kulamulira kuti uchite zimene uyenera kuchita,
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].
komabe ndikupempha mwachikondi. Ine Paulo, munthu wokalamba, ndipo tsopano ndili mʼndende chifukwa cha Khristu Yesu,
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.
ndikukupempha chifukwa cha mwana wanga Onesimo, amene ndamubala ndili mu unyolo.
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!
Anali wopanda phindu kwa iwe, koma tsopano wasanduka wa phindu kwa iwe ndi kwa inenso.
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.
Ine ndikumutumizanso kwa iwe tsopano, koma potero ndikukhala ngati ndikutumiza mtima wanga weniweni.
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].
Ndikanakonda ndikanakhala naye kuno kuti iyeyo azinditumikira mʼmalo mwako pamene ndili mu unyolo chifukwa cha Uthenga Wabwino.
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.
Koma sindikufuna kuchita kanthu osakufunsa, nʼcholinga chakuti chilichonse chabwino ungandichitire chikhale mwakufuna kwako osati mokakamiza.
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)
Mwina chifukwa chimene unasiyana naye kwa kanthawi ndi chakuti ukhale nayenso nthawi zonse. (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.
Osati ngati kapolo, koma woposa kapolo, ngati mʼbale wokondedwa. Iyeyu ndi wokondedwa kwambiri kwa ine koma kwa iweyo ndi wokondedwa koposa, ngati munthu komanso ngati mʼbale mwa Ambuye.
17 So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
Tsono ngati umati ndine mnzako, umulandire iyeyu monga momwe ukanandilandirira ineyo.
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).
Ngati anakulakwira kapena kukongola kanthu kalikonse, ndidzalipira ineyo.
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.
Ine, Paulo ndikulemba zimenezi ndi dzanja langa. Ine ndidzalipira. Nʼkosafunika kukukumbutsa kuti iweyo ngongole yako kwa ine ndi moyo wakowo.
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.
Mʼbale, ndikufuna kuti ndipindule nawe mwa Ambuye; tsono tsitsimutsa mtima wanga mwa Khristu.
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].
Ine ndili ndi chitsimikizo cha kumvera kwako pamene ndikukulembera kalatayi. Ndikulemba ndikudziwa kuti udzachita ngakhale kuposa zimene ndakupemphazi.
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.
Chinthu chinanso ndi ichi: undikonzere malo, chifukwa ndikukhulupirira kuti Mulungu adzamvera mapemphero anu ndi kundibwezera kwa inu.
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).
Epafra, wamʼndende mnzanga chifukwa cha Khristu Yesu akupereka moni.
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).
Atumiki anzanga awa, Marko, Aristariko, Dema ndi Luka, akuperekanso moni.
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).
Chisomo cha Ambuye Yesu Khristu chikhale ndi mzimu wako.
