Filemoni 1
1 Paulo, mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu, na ndugu Timotheo kwa Filemoni, mpendwa rafiki yetu na mtenda kazi pamoja nasi,
From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
2 na kwa Afia dada yetu, na kwa Arkipas askari mwenzetu, na kwa kanisa lile linalokutana nyumbani kwako.
To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;
3 Neema iwe kwenu na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na kwa Bwana Yesu Kristo.
may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
4 Wakati wote namshukuru Mungu. Ninakutaja katika maombi yangu.
I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
5 Nimesikia upendo na imani uliyonayo katika Bwana Yesu na kwa ajili ya waumini wote.
because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
6 Ninaomba kwamba ushirika wa imani yenu iwe na ufanisi katika ujuzi wa kila jambo jema lililoko kati yetu katika Kristo.
and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realization of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
7 Kwa kuwa nimekuwa na furaha na faraja kwa sababu ya upendo wako, kwa sababu mioyo ya waumini imekuwa ikitulizwa nawe, ndugu.
I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.
8 Kwa hiyo, ingawa nina ujasiri wote katika Kristo kukuamuru wewe kufanya kile unachoweza kufanya,
And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
9 lakini kwa sababu ya upendo, badala yake nakusihi - mimi, Paulo niliye mzee, na sasa ni mfungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu.
yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.
10 Ninakusihi kuhusu mwanangu Onesmo, niliyemzaa katika vifungo vyangu.
I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
11 Kwa kuwa mwanzoni hakukufaa, lakini sasa anakufaa wewe na mimi.
Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;
12 Nimemtuma- yeye ambaye ni wa moyo wangu hasa - kurudi kwako.
and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
13 Nataraji angeendelea kubaki pamoja nami, ili anitumikie badala yako, wakati niwako kifungoni kwa ajili ya injili.
For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.
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.
But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.
15 Labda ni sababu alitengwa nawe kwa muda, ilikuwa hivyo ili uwe pamoja naye milele. (aiōnios g166)
It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (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 – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!
17 Na hivyo kama wanichukulia mimi mshirika, mpokee kama ambavyo ungenipokea mimi.
If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
18 Lakini kama amekukosea jambo lolote, au unamdai kitu chochote, kidai hicho kutoka kwangu.
If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 Mimi Paulo, ninaandika kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe: mimi nitakulipa. Sisemi kwako kwamba nakudai maisha yako hasa.
I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
20 Naam ndugu, acha nipate furaha ya Bwana toka kwako: uburudishe moyo wangu katika Kristo.
Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
21 Nikiwa na imani kuhusu utii wako, nakuandikia nikijua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya vile ninavyokuomba.
Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
22 Wakati huo huo andaa chumba cha wageni kwa ajili yangu, kwa kuwa ninatumaini kupitia maombi yako nitakutembelea hivi karibuni.
Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.
23 Epafra, mfungwa mwenzangu katika Kristo Yesu anakusalimu,
Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
24 na kama afanyavyo Marko, Aristarko, Dema, Luka, watendakazi pamoja nami.
and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
25 Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe pamoja na roho yako. Amina.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
