UFilimoni 1

1 UPawuli isibotshwa sikaKristu Jesu loTimothi umzalwane, kuFilimoni othandekayo lesisebenzi kanye lathi,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,

2 lakuApifiya othandekayo, lakuArkipho owebutho kanye lathi, lakubandla elisendlini yakho:

to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:

3 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami, ngikuphatha ngezikhathi zonke emikhulekweni yami,

I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

5 ngisizwa ngothando lwakho langokholo olalo eNkosini uJesu lakubo bonke abangcwele,

because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

6 ukuze ukuhlanganyela kokholo lwakho kube lamandla elwazini lwento yonke enhle ekini kuKristu Jesu.

I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

7 Ngoba silentokozo enkulu lenduduzo ethandweni lwakho, ngoba imibilini yabangcwele yavuselelwa ngawe, mzalwane.

I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

8 Ngalokho, lanxa ngilesibindi esikhulu kuKristu sokuthi ngikulaye into efaneleyo,

So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

9 kanti ngenxa yothando kungcono ukuthi ngincenge, nginjengonje, uPawuli omdala, esengiyisibotshwa futhi sikaJesu Kristu.

I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.

10 Ngiyakuncenga ngomntanami, engimzeleyo kuzibopho zami, uOnesimo,

I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.

11 okade engelasizo kuwe, kodwa khathesi-ke ulosizo kuwe lakimi,

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 engimbuyisela kuwe; kodwa wena, memukele, okuyikuthi imibilini yami;

I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

13 ebengifisa mina ukumbamba abe lami, ukuze angisebenzele esikhundleni sakho kuzibopho zevangeli;

I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 kodwa kangithandanga ukwenza ulutho ngaphandle kwemvumo yakho, ukuze okuhle kwakho kungabi ngokokubanjwa ngamandla, kodwa njengokwesihle.

But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.

15 Ngoba mhlawumbe wehlukaniswa lawe okwesikhatshana ngenxa yalokhu, ukuze ubuye umemukele phakade; (aiōnios g166)

For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— (aiōnios g166)

16 angabe esaba njengesigqili, kodwa ngaphezu kwesigqili, umzalwane othandekayo, ikakhulu kimi, kodwa kakhulu kangakanani kuwe konke enyameni leNkosini.

no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.

17 Ngakho uba usithi ngingumhlanganyeli lawe, memukele njengami.

So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

18 Kodwa uba ekone ngolutho kumbe elomlandu, lokho kubalele kimi;

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.

19 mina Pawuli ngibhale ngesandla sami, mina ngizahlawula; ukuthi ngingatsho kuwe ukuthi lawe uqobo ulomlandu oseleyo kimi.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

20 Yebo, mzalwane, sengathi ngingaba lentokozo ngawe eNkosini; uvuselele imibilini yami eNkosini.

Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Ngikubhalele ngithemba ukulalela kwakho, ngisazi ukuthi lawe uzakwenza okungaphezu kwalokho engikutshoyo.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 Futhi ngesikhathi esifananayo ungilungisele lami indawo yokuhlala; ngoba ngiyathemba ukuthi ngemikhuleko yenu ngizanikwa kini.

In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

23 Uyakubingelela uEpafra oyisibotshwa kanye lami kuKristu Jesu,

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

24 uMarko, uAristako, uDema, uLuka, izisebenzi kanye lami.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 Umusa weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu kawube lomoya wenu. Ameni.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.