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 beloved friend and fellow worker,
2 na kwa Afia dada yetu, na kwa Arkipas askari mwenzetu, na kwa kanisa lile linalokutana nyumbani kwako.
and also to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in yoʋr house:
3 Neema iwe kwenu na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na kwa Bwana Yesu Kristo.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Wakati wote namshukuru Mungu. Ninakutaja katika maombi yangu.
I give thanks to my God, always making mention of yoʋ in my prayers,
5 Nimesikia upendo na imani uliyonayo katika Bwana Yesu na kwa ajili ya waumini wote.
because I hear of yoʋr love for all the saints and the faith that yoʋ have toward the Lord Jesus.
6 Ninaomba kwamba ushirika wa imani yenu iwe na ufanisi katika ujuzi wa kila jambo jema lililoko kati yetu katika Kristo.
I pray that yoʋr fellowship with us in the faith may be effective in deepening yoʋr understanding of every blessing that we have in Christ Jesus.
7 Kwa kuwa nimekuwa na furaha na faraja kwa sababu ya upendo wako, kwa sababu mioyo ya waumini imekuwa ikitulizwa nawe, ndugu.
We are very thankful for the comfort we have received from yoʋr love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through yoʋ, brother.
8 Kwa hiyo, ingawa nina ujasiri wote katika Kristo kukuamuru wewe kufanya kile unachoweza kufanya,
Therefore, although I am bold enough in Christ to command yoʋ to do what is right,
9 lakini kwa sababu ya upendo, badala yake nakusihi - mimi, Paulo niliye mzee, na sasa ni mfungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu.
I would rather appeal to yoʋ on the basis of love. I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner for Jesus Christ,
10 Ninakusihi kuhusu mwanangu Onesmo, niliyemzaa katika vifungo vyangu.
appeal to yoʋ on behalf of my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
11 Kwa kuwa mwanzoni hakukufaa, lakini sasa anakufaa wewe na mimi.
Once he was useless to yoʋ, but now he is useful both to yoʋ and to me. I am sending him back,
12 Nimemtuma- yeye ambaye ni wa moyo wangu hasa - kurudi kwako.
and I ask yoʋ to receive him, that is, my very own heart.
13 Nataraji angeendelea kubaki pamoja nami, ili anitumikie badala yako, wakati niwako kifungoni kwa ajili ya injili.
I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in yoʋr place during my imprisonment for the gospel.
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 did not want to do anything without yoʋr consent, so that yoʋr good deed would not be done out of compulsion, but of yoʋr own free will.
15 Labda ni sababu alitengwa nawe kwa muda, ilikuwa hivyo ili uwe pamoja naye milele. (aiōnios g166)
Perhaps the reason he was separated from yoʋ for an hour was so that yoʋ might have him back forever, (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 more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but even more so to yoʋ, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 Na hivyo kama wanichukulia mimi mshirika, mpokee kama ambavyo ungenipokea mimi.
So if yoʋ consider me to be a partner, receive him as yoʋ would receive me.
18 Lakini kama amekukosea jambo lolote, au unamdai kitu chochote, kidai hicho kutoka kwangu.
If he has wronged yoʋ in any way or owes yoʋ anything, charge it to me.
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 repay it (not to mention that yoʋ owe me yoʋr very own life).
20 Naam ndugu, acha nipate furaha ya Bwana toka kwako: uburudishe moyo wangu katika Kristo.
Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from yoʋ in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Nikiwa na imani kuhusu utii wako, nakuandikia nikijua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya vile ninavyokuomba.
Trusting in yoʋr obedience, I write to yoʋ, knowing that yoʋ will do even more than I ask.
22 Wakati huo huo andaa chumba cha wageni kwa ajili yangu, kwa kuwa ninatumaini kupitia maombi yako nitakutembelea hivi karibuni.
At the same time, I want yoʋ to prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you soon.
23 Epafra, mfungwa mwenzangu katika Kristo Yesu anakusalimu,
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus,
24 na kama afanyavyo Marko, Aristarko, Dema, Luka, watendakazi pamoja nami.
and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, greet yoʋ.
25 Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe pamoja na roho yako. Amina.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
