Filemo 1

1 Mini Polo yua n tie kpaadili kelima Jesu Kilisiti po, leni ti kpiilo Timote, n diani li tili fini Filemo ti buado leni ti tuonsoanlielo po,

[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.

2 leni ti kpiilo Apiya, leni Alikipa ti minteelieli o Diedo toabu nni leni Kilisiti n yini yaaba, yaaba n taagi fini Filemo diegu nni kuli po.

[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.

3 Ti baa U Tienu leni o Diedo Jesu Kilisiti n pa yi li hanbili leni mi yanduanma.

[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.

4 N tiadi apo yogunu kuli n jaandi nni ki tuondi n Tienu

I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]

5 kelima bi wangi nni han pia ya dandanli o Diedo Jesu po leni han pia ya buama bi nigagidihanba po.

and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

6 N miadi U Tienu ke han pia ya taanyenma leni ti kelima li dandanli yaapo, n ya pia mayuli ki teni han bandi tin pia ya sela kelima tin ye leni Kilisiti yeni po.

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.

7 N kpiilo, a buama yeni mangi n pali ki go baagi nni boncianla kelima a duandi bi nigagidihanba yama.

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].

8 Lanwani, baa ke n pia u sanu kelima Kilisiti po ki puogi a yaala n pundi,

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.

9 yaala n mani npo ki cie tie ki mia ha bu miabu kelima mi buama yaapo. Mini Polo, yua n tie jakpelo ki go tie kpaadili moala kelima Jesu Kilisiti po,

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].

10 n mia ha bu miabu n biga Onesima po, min mali yua ti kpaadi nni.

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.

11 Waa den kpa pia apo fuoma, ama moala o pia ma apo, ki go pia ma mini mo yaapo.

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!

12 N soani o wan goa a kani, o tie nani n boagidi mini nba yeni ki soani a kani.

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.

13 N den bua wan bi ya ye n kani ki ga a kaanu ki ya todi nni min ye ti kpaadi nni kelima o laabaalihamo po ya yogunu.

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].

14 Die mii den bua ki tieni liba kali min kpa buali a ki bandi han jagi yaala, ke a hanma n da tie nani u paalu yeni ka, ama lan ya tie a yama po.

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.

15 Daalinba o den paadi leni a u yogunu waamu ke han goa ki ga o wan ya ye leni a hali ya yogunu kuli. (aiōnios g166)

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)

16 Moala a kan go ya nua o ke o tie yonbo ka, ama ke o di cie yonbo. O tie a kpibuado. O tie yeni mini yaapo, ki baa tie yeni fini yaapo ki cie kelima ti gbanandi nni leni o Diedo nni.

[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.

17 Lanwani a ya nua ke n tie a danli, han ga o nani han bi baa ga mini maama.

So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.

18 Wan bii apo yaala, leni wan pia apo ya panli, han coadi la ke li tie n ya panli.

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).

19 Mini Polo n diani ya maama n tie na leni n nuceli, mini n baa pa ha la. N kan maadi fini aba n kubi npo ya panli, lani n tie ke a pia li miali kelima n yaapo.

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.

20 Lanwani n kpiilo tieni npo laa hanbili kelima o Diedo po. Duani n yama Kilisiti nni.

(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.

21 Min diani lankuli yeni, n dugi apo ke a baa tuo ki tieni min yedi yaala, ki go bani ke a baa tieni baa ki cie min yedi yaala.

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].

22 Han go hanbi npo li candieli mo, kelima n sugini ke U Tienu baa guani nni yikani kelima yi jaandi po.

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.

23 Epafasa, mini leni yua n taa ki ye li kpaadidieli nni kelima Jesu Kilisiti yaapo, fuondi a.

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).

24 N tuonsoanlieba Maka, Alisitaka, Demasa leni Luka moko fuondi a.

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).

25 O Diedo Jesu Kilisiti ya hanbili n ya ye leni yi.

[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).