Filemoni 1
1 Paulo, mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu, pamoja na Timotheo ndugu yetu: Kwa Filemoni rafiki yetu mpendwa na mtendakazi mwenzetu,
[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 kwa dada yetu mpendwa Afia, kwa Arkipo askari mwenzetu na kwa kanisa lile likutanalo nyumbani mwako:
[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 Neema iwe nanyi na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na Bwana Yesu Kristo.
[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 Siku zote ninamshukuru Mungu ninapokukumbuka katika maombi yangu,
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 kwa sababu ninasikia juu ya imani yako katika Bwana Yesu na upendo wako kwa watakatifu wote.
and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
6 Naomba utiwe nguvu katika kuishuhudia imani yako, ili upate kuwa na ufahamu mkamilifu juu ya kila kitu chema tulicho nacho ndani ya Kristo.
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 Upendo wako umenifurahisha mno na kunitia moyo, kwa sababu wewe ndugu, umeiburudisha mioyo ya watakatifu.
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 Hata hivyo, ingawa katika Kristo ningeweza kuwa na ujasiri na kukuagiza yale yakupasayo kutenda,
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 lakini ninakuomba kwa upendo, mimi Paulo, mzee na pia sasa nikiwa mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu,
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 nakuomba kwa ajili ya mwanangu Onesimo, aliyefanyika mwanangu nilipokuwa kwenye minyororo.
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 Mwanzoni alikuwa hakufai, lakini sasa anakufaa sana wewe na mimi pia.
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 Namtuma kwako, yeye aliye moyo wangu hasa.
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 Ningependa nikae naye ili ashike nafasi yako ya kunisaidia wakati huu nikiwa kifungoni kwa ajili ya Injili.
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 Lakini sikutaka kufanya lolote bila idhini yako, ili wema wowote uufanyao usiwe wa lazima, bali wa hiari.
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.
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 Si kama mtumwa, bali bora kuliko mtumwa, kama ndugu mpendwa. Yeye ni mpendwa sana kwangu na hata kwako zaidi, yeye kama mwanadamu na kama ndugu katika Bwana.
[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 Hivyo kama unanihesabu mimi kuwa mshirika wako, mkaribishe kama vile ungenikaribisha mimi mwenyewe.
So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
18 Kama amekukosea lolote au kama unamdai chochote, nidai mimi.
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 Ni mimi Paulo, ninayeandika waraka huu kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe. Nitakulipa. Sitaji kwamba nakudai hata nafsi yako.
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 Ndugu yangu, natamani nipate faida kwako katika Bwana, uuburudishe moyo wangu katika Kristo.
(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 Nikiwa na hakika ya utii wako, nakuandikia, nikijua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya yale ninayokuomba.
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 Jambo moja zaidi: Niandalie chumba cha wageni, kwa kuwa nataraji kurudishwa kwenu kama jibu la maombi yenu.
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, aliye mfungwa mwenzangu katika Kristo Yesu, anakusalimu.
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 Vivyo hivyo Marko, Aristarko, Dema na Luka, watendakazi wenzangu wanakusalimu.
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 Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe pamoja na roho zenu. 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).
