< Filemon 1 >

1 Saa nhoma yi fi Paulo a esiane Kristo Yesu nti ɔyɛ odeduani ne yɛn nuabarima Timoteo nkyɛn, Yɛde kɔma yɛn adamfo ne yɛn yɔnko Filemon
To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,
2 ne asafo a wohyia wɔ wo fi no ne yɛn nuabea Apia ne yɛn yɔnko sraani Arkipo no:
to my sister Apphia, to my fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets at Philemon’s house. From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.
3 Adom ne asomdwoe a efi yɛn Agya Nyankopɔn ne Awurade Yesu Kristo nka mo.
Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Onua Filemon, bere biara a mebɔ mpae no mebɔ bi ma wo na meda me Nyankopɔn nso ase.
I am ever mentioning you in my prayers, and giving thanks to God,
5 Mete ɔdɔ a wodɔ Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo ne gyidi a wowɔ wɔ Awurade Yesu mu no.
because I am hearing of your love and of the faith which you hold, not only toward the Lord Jesus Christ, but toward all the saints.
6 Sɛnea wo ne afoforo kura gyidi koro mu no, mebɔ mpae sɛ wɔn nso behu nhyira a Kristo de ama yɛn no nyinaa.
And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.
7 Onua pa, wo dɔ no ama me anigye na ahyɛ me nkuran nso. Woakanyan Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo.
For I have great joy and comfort in your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
8 Sɛ meyɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu nti, metumi de akokoduru ahyɛ wo, ama woayɛ nea ɛsɛ sɛ woyɛ,
And so, although I might be bold in Christ to dictate to you what is fitting,
9 nanso me Paulo a meyɛ akwakoraa ne Kristo Yesu deduani fi ɔdɔ mu mprempren
yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech you, I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus!
10 resrɛ wo ama me ba Onesimo a ɔbɛyɛɛ me ba, bere a na meda afiase no.
I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in these chains.
11 Bere bi a atwa mu no na ne so nni mfaso mma wo, nanso mprempren de, ne so wɔ mfaso ma me ne wo.
Once you found him "unprofitable," but now he is "profitable" to you and to me.
12 Merema ɔno a ɔyɛ mʼankasa me koma no asan aba wo nkyɛn.
I am sending him back to you, he himself, that is, my very heart!
13 Esiane asɛmpa no nti, mepɛe sɛ ɔtena me nkyɛn bere a meda afiase yi, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a obesi wʼanan mu aboa me.
I could wish to retain him at my side, so that he might minister to me in your stead, in my bonds for the gospel.
14 Nanso na mempɛ sɛ mefi wʼakyi ayɛ biribi, sɛnea ɛrenyɛ sɛ adɔe biara a wobɛyɛ no fi ɔhyɛ mu na mmom efi ɔpɛ pa mu nti.
But without your consent I was unwilling to do anything, so that your kindness to me might be of your own free will, and not of compulsion.
15 Ebia na Onesimo fii wo nkyɛn bere tiaa bi sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wubegye no ato mu bio afebɔɔ. (aiōnios g166)
Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)
16 Mprempren ɔnyɛ ɔsomfo kɛkɛ efisɛ ɔkyɛn ɔsomfo. Ɔyɛ onua pa wɔ Kristo mu. Ɔsom bo ma me. Saa ara nso na ɔbɛsom bo ama wo sɛ ɔsomfo ne onua wɔ Awurade mu.
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a brother beloved; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both as a man and a fellow Christian.
17 Enti sɛ wudwen me ho sɛ wo ne me bɔ mu di dwuma a, saa ara nso na gye no to mu sɛnea wubegye me no ara no.
If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18 Sɛ wayɛ wo biribi anaasɛ ɔde wo ka bi a, bu tia me.
And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.
19 Me Paulo, mʼankasa me nsa ano nkyerɛw ni. Metua wo ka, na mmom mma wo werɛ mfi sɛ wo nipadua no ankasa de me ka.
I Paul am writing this in my own handwriting, "I will repay you." But I will not mention that you owe me, over and over, your very soul.
20 Enti me nua, mesrɛ wo sɛ, Awurade nti, yɛ me saa adɔe yi; ka me koma hyew sɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu.
Come my brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you! Refresh my heart in Christ!
21 Mewɔ anidaso sɛ, nea merekyerɛw wo yi, wobɛyɛ ama aboro nea merebisa wo yi so.
Because I am thoroughly persuaded of your obedience, I have written you, knowing full well that you will do by me what I am asking.
22 Afei pɛ ɔdan ma me, efisɛ minim sɛ Onyankopɔn betie mo mpaebɔ ama mabɛka mo ho bio.
Please also prepare for me a lodging, for I am hoping by your prayers to be restored to you again.
23 Epafra a Kristo Yesu nti ɔne me da afiase no kyia wo.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greeting;
24 Saa ara nso na Marko, Aristarko, Dema ne Luka nso kyia wo.
so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Awurade Yesu Kristo adom nka wo honhom.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

< Filemon 1 >