Filemoni 1
1 Paulo, mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu, pamoja na Timotheo ndugu yetu: Kwa Filemoni rafiki yetu mpendwa na mtendakazi mwenzetu,
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 kwa dada yetu mpendwa Afia, kwa Arkipo askari mwenzetu na kwa kanisa lile likutanalo nyumbani mwako:
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 Neema iwe nanyi na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na Bwana Yesu Kristo.
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Siku zote ninamshukuru Mungu ninapokukumbuka katika maombi yangu,
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 kwa sababu ninasikia juu ya imani yako katika Bwana Yesu na upendo wako kwa watakatifu 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 Naomba utiwe nguvu katika kuishuhudia imani yako, ili upate kuwa na ufahamu mkamilifu juu ya kila kitu chema tulicho nacho ndani ya 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 Upendo wako umenifurahisha mno na kunitia moyo, kwa sababu wewe ndugu, umeiburudisha mioyo ya watakatifu.
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 Hata hivyo, ingawa katika Kristo ningeweza kuwa na ujasiri na kukuagiza yale yakupasayo kutenda,
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 lakini ninakuomba kwa upendo, mimi Paulo, mzee na pia sasa nikiwa mfungwa wa 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 nakuomba kwa ajili ya mwanangu Onesimo, aliyefanyika mwanangu nilipokuwa kwenye minyororo.
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 Mwanzoni alikuwa hakufai, lakini sasa anakufaa sana wewe na mimi pia.
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 Namtuma kwako, yeye aliye moyo wangu hasa.
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 Ningependa nikae naye ili ashike nafasi yako ya kunisaidia wakati huu nikiwa 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 lolote bila idhini yako, ili wema wowote uufanyao usiwe wa lazima, bali wa hiari.
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.
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 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.
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 Hivyo kama unanihesabu mimi kuwa mshirika wako, mkaribishe kama vile ungenikaribisha mimi mwenyewe.
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 Kama amekukosea lolote au kama unamdai chochote, nidai mimi.
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 Ni mimi Paulo, ninayeandika waraka huu kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe. Nitakulipa. Sitaji kwamba nakudai hata nafsi yako.
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 Ndugu yangu, natamani nipate faida kwako katika Bwana, uuburudishe moyo wangu katika Kristo.
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Nikiwa na hakika ya utii wako, nakuandikia, nikijua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya yale ninayokuomba.
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 Jambo moja zaidi: Niandalie chumba cha wageni, kwa kuwa nataraji kurudishwa kwenu kama jibu la maombi yenu.
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, aliye mfungwa mwenzangu katika Kristo Yesu, anakusalimu.
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 Vivyo hivyo Marko, Aristarko, Dema na Luka, watendakazi wenzangu wanakusalimu.
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe pamoja na roho zenu. Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.
