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.
Pauro musungwa waKristu Jesu, naTimotio hama, kuna Firimoni mudikanwi nemushumiri pamwe nesu,
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.
nekumudikanwi Apifia, nekuna Akipo muuto pamwe nesu, nekukereke iri mumba mako:
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.
Nyasha kwamuri nerugare rwunobva kuna Mwari Baba vedu naIshe Jesu Kristu.
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]
Ndinovonga Mwari wangu, ndichikureva nguva dzese paminyengetero yangu,
5 and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
ndichinzwa zverudo rwako, nerutendo rwaunarwo kuna Ishe Jesu nekuvatsvene vese,
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.
kuti kudyidzana kwerutendo rwako kuve nesimba pakuziva chese chakanaka chiri mamuri muna Kristu Jesu.
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].
Nokuti tine mufaro mukuru nekunyaradzwa parudo rwako, nokuti ura hwevatsvene hwakavandudzwa newe, hama.
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.
Naizvozvo kunyange ndine kushinga kukuru muna Kristu kukuraira izvo zvakafanira,
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].
asi nekuda kwerudo zviri nani kukumbirisa, sezvandakadai ini Pauro mutana, uye ikozvinowo musungwa waJesu Kristu.
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.
Ndinokukumbirisa pamusoro pemwana wangu, wandakabereka muzvisungo zvangu, Onesimo,
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!
wakange asingambokubatsiri, asi ikozvino anobatsira kwauri nekwandiri,
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.
wandatumirazve kwauri; asi iwe, mugamuchire, ndiko kuti ura hwangu;
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].
wandaida kuramba naye aneni, kuti panzvimbo yako andishumire pazvisungo zveevhangeri;
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.
asi handina kuda kuita chinhu kunze kwetendero yako, kuti chakanaka chako chirege kuitwa nekurovererwa, asi sepachido.
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)
Nokuti zvimwe wakaparadzaniswa newe chinguva nemhaka iyi, kuti umugamuchirezve nekusingaperi; (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.
arege kuchiva semuranda, asi anopfuura muranda, hama inodikanwa, zvikuru kwandiri, asi zvikuru sei kwauri zvese panyama nemuna Ishe.
17 So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
Naizvozvo kana uchindiverenga semubatidzani, mugamuchire seunogamuchira ini.
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).
Asi kana akakutadzira chimwe kana kuva nengava newe, izvozvo zviverengere kwandiri;
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.
ini Pauro ndanyora neruoko rwangu, ini ndicharipa; kuti ndirege kuti kwauri, uri ngava kwandiri iwewo pachako.
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.
Hongu, hama, ngandive nemufaro newe muna Ishe; vandudza ura hwangu muna Ishe.
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].
Ndakunyorera ndichivimba kuteerera kwako, ndichiziva kutiwo uchaita kupfuura zvandinoreva.
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.
Uyewo panguva iyoyo ndigadzirire pekugara; nokuti ndinotarisira kuti kubudikidza neminyengetero yenyu ndichapiwa kwamuri.
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).
Anokukwazisa Epafrasi musungwa pamwe neni muna Kristu Jesu,
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).
Mariko, Arisitako, Dhemasi, Ruka, vabati pamwe neni.
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).
Nyasha dzaIshe wedu Jesu Kristu ngadzive nemweya wenyu. Ameni.
