Filemoni 1
1 Paulo, mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu, na ndugu Timotheo kwa Filemoni, mpendwa rafiki yetu na mtenda kazi pamoja nasi,
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 na kwa Afia dada yetu, na kwa Arkipas askari mwenzetu, na kwa kanisa lile linalokutana nyumbani kwako.
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 Neema iwe kwenu na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na kwa Bwana Yesu Kristo.
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Wakati wote namshukuru Mungu. Ninakutaja katika maombi yangu.
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 Nimesikia upendo na imani uliyonayo katika Bwana Yesu na kwa ajili ya waumini wote.
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 Ninaomba kwamba ushirika wa imani yenu iwe na ufanisi katika ujuzi wa kila jambo jema lililoko kati yetu katika Kristo.
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 Kwa kuwa nimekuwa na furaha na faraja kwa sababu ya upendo wako, kwa sababu mioyo ya waumini imekuwa ikitulizwa nawe, ndugu.
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 Kwa hiyo, ingawa nina ujasiri wote katika Kristo kukuamuru wewe kufanya kile unachoweza kufanya,
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 lakini kwa sababu ya upendo, badala yake nakusihi - mimi, Paulo niliye mzee, na sasa ni mfungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu.
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 Ninakusihi kuhusu mwanangu Onesmo, niliyemzaa katika vifungo vyangu.
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 Kwa kuwa mwanzoni hakukufaa, lakini sasa anakufaa wewe na mimi.
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 Nimemtuma- yeye ambaye ni wa moyo wangu hasa - kurudi kwako.
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 Nataraji angeendelea kubaki pamoja nami, ili anitumikie badala yako, wakati niwako kifungoni kwa ajili ya injili.
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 Lakini sikutaka kufanya jambo lolote bila ruhusa yako. Nilifanya hivi ili kwamba jambo lolote zuri lisifanyike kwa sababu nilikulazimisha, bali kwa sababu ulipenda mwenyewe kulitenda.
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 Labda ni sababu alitengwa nawe kwa muda, ilikuwa hivyo ili uwe pamoja naye milele. (aiōnios g166)
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 g166)
16 Ili kwamba asiwe tena mtumwa, bali bora zaidi ya mtumwa, kama ndugu mpendwa, hasa kwangu, na zaidi sana kwako, katika mwili na katika Bwana.
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 Na hivyo kama wanichukulia mimi mshirika, mpokee kama ambavyo ungenipokea mimi.
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 Lakini kama amekukosea jambo lolote, au unamdai kitu chochote, kidai hicho kutoka kwangu.
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 Mimi Paulo, ninaandika kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe: mimi nitakulipa. Sisemi kwako kwamba nakudai maisha yako hasa.
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 Naam ndugu, acha nipate furaha ya Bwana toka kwako: uburudishe moyo wangu katika Kristo.
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Nikiwa na imani kuhusu utii wako, nakuandikia nikijua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya vile ninavyokuomba.
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 Wakati huo huo andaa chumba cha wageni kwa ajili yangu, kwa kuwa ninatumaini kupitia maombi yako nitakutembelea hivi karibuni.
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 Epafra, mfungwa mwenzangu katika Kristo Yesu anakusalimu,
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 na kama afanyavyo Marko, Aristarko, Dema, Luka, watendakazi pamoja nami.
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe pamoja na roho yako. Amina.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.
