< Filemone 1 >

1 PAOLO, prigione di Gesù Cristo, e il fratello Timoteo, a Filemone, nostro diletto, e compagno d'opera;
[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 ed alla diletta Appia, e ad Archippo, nostro compagno di milizia, ed alla chiesa che [è] in casa tua;
[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 grazia a voi e pace, da Dio Padre nostro, e [dal] Signor Gesù Cristo.
[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 Io rendo grazie all'Iddio mio, facendo sempre di te memoria nelle mie orazioni;
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 udendo la tua carità, e la fede che tu hai inverso il Signore Gesù, e inverso tutti i santi;
and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
6 acciocchè la comunione della tua fede sia efficace, col far riconoscere tutto il bene che [è] in voi, inverso Cristo Gesù.
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 Perciocchè noi abbiamo grande allegrezza e consolazione della tua carità; poichè le viscere dei santi siano state per te ricreate, fratello.
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 PERCIÒ, benchè io abbia molta libertà in Cristo, di comandarti ciò che è del dovere;
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 [pur nondimeno], più tosto [ti] prego per carità così come sono, Paolo, vecchio, ed al presente ancora prigione di Gesù Cristo;
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 ti prego, [dico], per lo mio figliuolo Onesimo, il quale io ho generato ne' miei legami.
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 Il quale già ti [fu] disutile, ma ora [è] utile a te ed a me.
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 Il quale io ho rimandato; or tu accoglilo, cioè, le mie viscere.
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 Io lo voleva ritenere appresso di me, acciocchè in vece tua mi ministrasse nei legami dell'evangelo;
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 ma non ho voluto far nulla senza il tuo parere; acciocchè il tuo beneficio non fosse come per necessità, ma di spontanea volontà.
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 Perciocchè, forse per questa cagione egli si è dipartito [da te] per un breve tempo, acciocchè tu lo ricoveri in perpetuo; (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 non più come servo, ma da più di servo, [come] caro fratello, a me sommamente; ora, quanto più a te, ed in carne, e nel Signore?
[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 Se dunque tu mi tieni per consorte, accoglilo come me stesso.
So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
18 Che se ti ha fatto alcun torto, o ti deve [cosa alcuna], scrivilo a mia ragione.
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 Io Paolo ho scritto [questo] di man propria, io [lo] pagherò, per non dirti che tu mi devi più di ciò, [cioè] te stesso.
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 Deh! fratello, fammi pro [in ciò] nel Signore; ricrea le mie viscere nel Signore.
(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 Io ti ho scritto, confidandomi della tua ubbidienza, sapendo che tu farai eziandio sopra ciò che io dico.
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 OR apparecchiami insieme ancora albergo; perciocchè io spero che per le vostre orazioni vi sarò donato.
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 Epafra, prigione meco in Cristo Gesù,
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 e Marco, ed Aristarco, e Dema, e Luca, miei compagni d'opera, ti salutano.
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 La grazia del Signor nostro Gesù Cristo [sia] con lo spirito vostro. Amen.
[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).

< Filemone 1 >