Filimon 1
1 Bulus kucin Nkristi Yesu, nin Timothy gwana bite ucindu kitin Philimo, gwana nsubit nin adon katawe,
[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 Cindukiti ngwana bit kishono bit Abiffia nin du Akiribu kusoja wang nanya katuwa ucindu kitin nlirangafe:
[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 Impip Kutellẹ na uyenu nin lisosin limang me nusu kitin inchif bite nin Chikilari Yesu Kristi so nanya mine.
[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 In su Kutellẹ nin nnjah nngai ko nin shi Kutellẹ
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 Nndin lanzinu ninghinu nya mine sanlira, ligan na idumung nanya Cikilari Yesu nin yinnu mine sauyenu udu kiti nanit alumai
and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
6 Nndin nlira ussu katuwa mine nnyan nyinu sa uyenuyits nin likara ulle na udi nanya bite nin Kristi
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 Bara nnamaluse mang kan, nin nrisu kibinai nanyannsufe, bara nibinai nanit alau nati mang bara fegwana.
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 Bara nani, vat nanin andina likara kibinai nanya Kristi mtifi usu imon illena ubasu
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 Vat nani bara usuu nndin suffi usere ukwilizufe meng ulle nwandi. Bulus ndi nawa kilari licin bara Kristi 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 Ndifi kucikusu nbekken usau nighe Onisimus ullena ndi ucifme uworu licin nighe.
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 Barna awa man difi he, ne ne adi imong icine kitife nin mi.
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 Ntoghe ame litime ulle na ukwiliz kitife adi kibinai nighe.
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 Ulle na uwang cinghe kitikanghe kang bara fewe awa buni, meg ulle na ndi nanya kilari licin Kutellẹ.
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 Nan nndin nin nsa nsu imomon sa uyiru ba. Bara katuwa ichinife waso nafo ana tifiku sua uyin nafew
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 Na adu kuchin ba akalin kuchi, nafo gwana kinnayi nighere badi nin nanin nanere abadikitife nanya kidoawo nin nanya Nchikilari.
[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 Assa uyirai nafo udon katawer, serreghe nafo meng,
So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
18 Assa anitifi umon utanu nmomon ana lifi ure pizira usere kining
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 Meng, Bulu, nnyertine nin na chara nin; nba kuturnufik, men bellinfi ndi dortufi ure nlaifeba.
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 Eh, gwana, nase liburi liboo nanya Ciliari nse unanku kibinai nanya Kristi,
(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 Uyinnu nin nnonku litifer udortu lirufe ntah unere nndin nyiru ubasu gbardang ukata nimon ubellu nighe.
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 Assault uso naninkelei kuti namara, bara ndi ncisu kibinai nanyan nliran ima yinnu ndak kitife.
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 Apafras udon licin nanya Kristi Yesu din lisuu fi
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 Nanere wang Marku, Aristaku, Demas Luka, adon katwa ning.
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 Na ubollu Nchikilari bite Yesu Kristi so nin infip mine uso nani.
[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).
