< Filemo 1 >
1 Ngai Polo, mokangami na boloko mpo na Yesu-Klisto, mpe Timote, ndeko na biso; Epai ya Filemo, molingami na biso mpe moninga ya mosala;
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 epai ya Apia, ndeko na biso ya mwasi; epai ya Arshipe, moninga na biso ya etumba; mpe epai ya Lingomba oyo esanganaka na ndako ya Filemo:
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 Tika ete ngolu mpe kimia epesamela bino kowuta na Nzambe, Tata na biso, mpe na Nkolo Yesu-Klisto!
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Tango nyonso nasambelaka, natangaka kombo na yo mpe nazongisaka matondi epai ya Nzambe na ngai,
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 pamba te nazali koyoka sango ya bolingo na yo mpo na basantu nyonso, mpe ya kondima na yo kati na Nkolo Yesu.
because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;
6 Nabondelaka ete kondima oyo ezali kosangisa biso emonisama na misala, mpo ete ososola malamu bolamu nyonso oyo tozali na yango kati na Klisto.
praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.
7 Ndeko na ngai, bolingo na yo mpo na basantu ezali penza kopesa ngai esengo mingi mpe kolendisa ngai, pamba te okitisaki bango mitema.
For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.
8 Yango wana, atako, kati na Klisto, nazali na makoki ya kotinda yo kosala likambo songolo to pakala,
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 kasi nasepeli kosenga na yo na kombo ya bolingo, ngai Polo, mobange mpe sik’oyo mokangami na boloko mpo na Yesu-Klisto;
it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
10 nasepeli kosenga na yo na tina na Onezime oyo azali mwana na ngai kati na Klisto, pamba te nakomaki tata na ye ya molimo awa, kati na boloko.
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 Na kala, azalaki na tina ata moko te na miso na yo, kasi sik’oyo akomi na tina mingi na miso na yo mpe na miso na ngai.
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 Nazali kozongisa ye epai na yo, pamba te azali penza motema na ngai.
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 Nalingaki ete atikala elongo na ngai awa, na boloko epai wapi nazali mpo na Sango Malamu, mpo ete asalisa ngai na esika na yo.
It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.
14 Nzokande nakokaki te kosala yango, pamba te nazwaki ndingisa na yo te, mpo ete bolamu oyo okosala ezala oyo ewuti na motema na yo moko, kasi na kotindika te.
Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.
15 Tango mosusu, mwa tango moke oyo bozalaki ya kokabwana na Onezime ezalaki mpo ete ozwa ye mpo na libela, (aiōnios )
For perhaps it was for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours; (aiōnios )
16 lokola mowumbu lisusu te kasi koleka kutu ata mowumbu, lokola ndeko ya bolingo. Azali na litomba mingi mpo na ngai, kasi azali mpe na litomba mingi lisusu koleka mpo na yo, lokola moto mpe lokola ndeko kati na Nkolo.
no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian.
17 Soki ya solo ozwaka ngai lokola ndeko na yo kati na kondima, yamba ye lokola nde oyambi ngai.
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 Soki asalaki yo mabe to mpe azali na niongo na yo, tanga yango na moto na ngai.
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 Ezali loboko na ngai moko Polo nde ezali kokoma makambo oyo: ngai moko nakofuta yo niongo yango. Nazali mpe na posa te ya kokanisela yo ete yo mpe ozali na niongo na ngai: niongo yango ezali nde bomoi na yo.
I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)
20 Ndeko na ngai, mpo na bolingo ya Nkolo, salela ngai bolamu wana; kitisa ngai motema lokola ndeko na yo kati na Klisto.
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Nakomeli yo na elikya ete okosala makambo oyo nasengi yo, mpe nayebi ete okosala kutu koleka.
I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.
22 Nasengi na yo lisusu ete obongisela ngai esika ya kolala, pamba te nazali na elikya ete Nzambe akozongisa ngai epai na bino lokola eyano na mabondeli na bino.
And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.
23 Epafrasi, moninga na ngai ya boloko kati na Yesu-Klisto, atindeli yo mbote.
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 Ndenge moko mpe Malako, Arisitarke, Demasi mpe Luka, baninga na ngai ya mosala, bango mpe batindeli yo mbote.
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Tika ete ngolu ya Yesu-Klisto, Nkolo na biso, ezala elongo na molimo na yo!
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.