Filemon 1
1 Agbalẽ sia tso nye, Paulo si le ga me ɖe Kristo Yesu ta kple mía nɔviŋutsu Timoteo gbɔ, Na Filemon, mía xɔlɔ̃ lɔlɔ̃tɔ kple hadɔwɔla
Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to the beloved Philemon, our fellow worker,
2 kple Apfia, mía nɔvinyɔnu, na Arkipo, mía nɔvi, Kristo ƒe asrafo kple hame si kpea ta le aƒewò me.
and to the beloved Apphia and our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the congregation at your (sg) house:
3 Amenuveve kple ŋutifafa si tso Mawu mía Fofo kple Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo gbɔ la woana mi.
Grace to you (pl) and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.
4 Filemon lɔlɔ̃a, medaa akpe na Mawu ɣe sia ɣi si mele gbe dom ɖa ɖe tawò,
I always thank my God as I make mention of you (sg) in my prayers,
5 elabena mese nu tso wò lɔlɔ̃ kple xɔse si le Aƒetɔ Yesu me kple ame kɔkɔeawo katã ŋu.
hearing of your love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus, and for all the saints,
6 Nye gbedodoɖae nye be nàtsɔ dzo ɖe wò xɔse la, mama ŋu, ale be nàse nu nyui ɖe sia ɖe si le mía si le Kristo me la gɔme blibo.
so that the sharing of your (sg) faith may become powerful through a full understanding of every good thing that is among you (pl) who are in Christ Jesus;
7 Wò lɔlɔ̃ na dzidzɔ kple dzideƒo gã aɖem, elabena wò, nɔviŋutsu, tsɔ dzidzɔ de ame kɔkɔeawo ƒe dziwo me.
yes, we have much thanksgiving and encouragement because of your (sg) love, in that the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Eya ta togbɔ be dzideƒo le asinye le Kristo me be mate ŋu azi dziwò be nàwɔ nu si dze be nàwɔ hã la,
Now then, though I have all boldness in Christ to order you (sg) to do what is right,
9 medi boŋ be maɖe kuku na wò le lɔlɔ̃ ta. Eya ŋuti nye Paulo, amegãxoxo kple ame si va zu Kristo Yesu ƒe gatɔ
I—being none other than Paul the old man and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ—would rather appeal to you, for love's sake.
10 mele kuku ɖem na wò ɖe vinye Onesimo ta, ame si trɔ zu vinye esi menɔ kɔsɔkɔsɔ me le afii.
I appeal to you on behalf of the son whom I begot while in my chains, Onesimus, whom I am sending back
11 Tsã la, ŋudɔwɔnu aɖeke menɔ eŋu na wò o, ke azɔ la, etrɔ zu ŋudɔwɔnu na nye kpli wò siaa.
—formerly he was unprofitable to you, but now he is profitable, both to you and to me.
12 Mele etrɔm ɖo ɖe wò, eye mele nye ŋutɔ nye dzi hã ɖom ɖe wò kplii.
So receive him, who is my very heart
13 Medi vevie be mana wòanɔ gbɔnye le afii, le esime mele gaxɔ me le nyanyui la gbɔgblɔ ta. Wò hã àto esia me ana kpekpeɖeŋum to edzi.
—I would have liked to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me in your place, while I am in chains for the Gospel,
14 Ke nyemedi be mawɔ nenema ne mèlɔ̃ ɖe edzi o. Nyemedi be nànyo dɔ me nam to dzizizi me o, ke boŋ be wò ŋutɔ nàdi be yeave nunye.
but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your contribution might be voluntary, not as an imposition.
15 Ɖewohĩ, anyo be nàbu nya sia ŋu ale: Onesimo si dzo le gbɔwò ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe, ale be azɔ la, wòazu tɔwo tegbee. (aiōnios g166)
Perhaps this is why he was removed for a while, so that you would have him forever (aiōnios g166)
16 Onesimo maganye kluvi ɖeɖe ko azɔ o, ke boŋ azu nu si kɔ sãa wu, eye woanye nɔvi lɔlɔ̃a, vevietɔ nam. Agazu ame vevi na wò ŋutɔ hã azɔ, elabena maganye subɔla le ŋutilã me ko o, ke boŋ anye nɔviwò le Aƒetɔ la me hã.
—no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, very much to me but even more to you, both in flesh and in the Lord.
17 Ne menye xɔ̃wò le nyateƒe me la, ekema xɔ Onesimo kple dzaadoname si tututu natsɔ axɔm nenye nyee gbɔna gbɔwò.
So if you consider me a partner, receive him as if it were me.
18 Ne ewɔ nu vevi aɖe wò alo wòfi wò nane la, ekema kpɔ mɔ na teƒeɖoɖo tso gbɔnye.
If he wronged you or owes anything, charge it to me.
19 Maɖo eteƒe na wò. Nye, Paulo, meɖo kpe nya sia dzi na wò to nu sia ŋɔŋlɔ kple nye asi na wò me. Ke nyemakɔ nu le fe si nènyi le asinye la dzi o! Nya lae nye be wò luʋɔ la ŋutɔe nye fe si nenyi le asinye!
I, Paul, am writing with my own hand, “I will repay” (rather than say to you that you actually owe me your very self!).
20 Ɛ̃, nɔvi lɔlɔ̃a, na wò nu sia wɔwɔ nam kple lɔlɔ̃ nanye viɖe nam le Aƒetɔ la me, ekema nye dzi agbɔ ɖe eme le Kristo me.
Yes brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Meŋlɔ agbalẽ sia na wò, elabena meka ɖe edzi be àwɔ nam wu ale si mebia gɔ̃ hã!
Being confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you (sg) will do even more than I say.
22 Meɖe kuku be nàdi amedzroxɔ aɖe da ɖi nam, elabena mele mɔ kpɔm be Mawu ase miaƒe gbedodoɖa, eye woana mava mia gbɔ kpuie.
But meanwhile, do prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your (pl) prayers I will be graciously bestowed on you (pl).
23 Epafra, ame si le gaxɔ me kplim le gbeƒãɖeɖe Kristo Yesu ta la do gbe na mi.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, greets you (sg),
24 Marko, Aristako, Dema kple Luka, nye hadɔwɔlawo hã do gbe na mi.
as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Míaƒe Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo ƒe yayra nanɔ anyi kple miaƒe gbɔgbɔ la.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with your (pl) spirit. Amen.
