Filemón 1

1 Pablo, prisionero de Cristo Jesús, y el hermano Timoteo, al amado Filemón, colaborador nuestro,

[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 a la hermana Apia, a Arquipo, nuestro compañero de milicia, y a la iglesia que está en tu casa.

[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 Gracia a ustedes y paz de Dios nuestro Padre, y del Señor Jesucristo.

[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 Doy gracias a mi Dios siempre que me acuerdo de ti en mis conversaciones con Dios,

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 pues escucho de tu amor y de la fe que tienes hacia el Señor Jesús y para todos los santos.

and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

6 [Ruego] que, por medio del conocimiento de todo lo bueno de ustedes en Cristo, la participación de tu fe sea eficaz.

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 Porque tuvimos mucho gozo y consolación en tu amor, pues por medio de ti, hermano, fueron refrescados los corazones de los santos.

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 Por tanto, aunque tengo mucho atrevimiento en Cristo para mandarte lo que es apropiado,

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 más bien por causa de mi amor [hacia ti, ]te exhorto, por ser como soy, Pablo, ya anciano, y ahora también prisionero de Cristo Jesús,

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 te ruego por mi hijo Onésimo, a quien engendré en las prisiones.

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 En otro tiempo él te fue inútil, pero ahora nos es útil a ti y a mí.

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 Te lo envío de regreso, a él, es decir, al objeto de mi afecto.

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 Yo quería retenerlo conmigo, a fin de que me sirviera por ti en las prisiones de las Buenas Noticias.

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 Pero nada quise hacer sin tu consentimiento, para que tu bien no sea como por medio de presión, sino de libre voluntad.

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 Porque probablemente por esto se apartó de ti por un tiempo, a fin de que lo recibas para siempre, (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 ya no como un esclavo, sino más que un esclavo: como hermano amado, especialmente para mí, y cuánto más para ti, tanto en [el ]cuerpo como en [el] Señor.

[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 Así que, si me consideras un compañero, recíbelo como a mí.

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

18 Si te perjudicó en algo o te debe, cárgalo a mi cuenta.

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 Yo, Pablo, escribí con mi mano: ¡Yo pagaré! Para no decirte que aun tú mismo te debes a mí.

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 Sí, hermano, que yo me beneficie de ti en [el] Señor. Conforta mi corazón en Cristo.

(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 Te escribí confiado en tu obediencia, cuando entendí que aun harás más de lo que digo.

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 Al mismo tiempo, prepárame alojamiento, porque espero que seré libertado por medio de las conversaciones de ustedes con Dios.

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 Te saludan Epafras, mi compañero de prisión por Cristo Jesús,

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 Marcos, Aristarco, Demas y Lucas, mis colaboradores.

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 gracia del Señor Jesucristo sea con tu espíritu.

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