1 From Paul, who is in jail for serving Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is like a brother because of our faith.
Philemon, you work with us and are very dear to us. This letter is to you 2 and to the church that meets in your home. It is also to our dear friend Apphia and to Archippus, who serves the Lord as we do.
3 I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
Philemon's Love and Faith
4 Philemon, each time I mention you in my prayers, I thank God. 5 I hear about your faith in our Lord Jesus and about your love for all God's people. 6 As you share your faith with others, I pray they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us. 7 My friend, your love has made me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God's people.
Paul Speaks to Philemon about Onesimus
8 Christ gives me the courage to tell you what to do. 9 But I would rather ask you to do it simply because of love. Yes, as someone in jail for Christ, 10 I beg you to help Onesimus! He is like a son to me because I led him to Christ here in jail. 11 Before this, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
12 Sending Onesimus back to you makes me very sad. 13 I would like to keep him here with me, where he could take your place in helping me while I am here in prison for preaching the good news. 14 But I won't do anything unless you agree to it first. I want your act of kindness to come from your heart, and not be something you feel forced to do.
15 Perhaps Onesimus was taken from you for a little while so you could have him back for good, 16 but not as a slave. Onesimus is much more than a slave. To me he is a dear friend, but to you he is even more, both as a person and as a follower of the Lord.
17 If you consider me a friend because of Christ, then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me. 18 If he has cheated you or owes you anything, charge it to my account. 19 With my own hand I write: I, PAUL, WILL PAY YOU BACK. But don't forget you owe me your life. 20 My dear friend and follower of Christ our Lord, please cheer me up by doing this for me.
21 I am sure you will do all I have asked, and even more. 22 Please get a room ready for me. I hope your prayers will be answered, and I can visit you.
23 Epaphras is also here in jail for being a follower of Christ Jesus. He sends his greetings, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who work together with me.
25 I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you!
1 Ontumwafo ndjika oya zi kuPaulus, onkwatwa molwaJesus Kristus, nokomumwatate Timoteus.
Oya nyolelwa kuume nomulongi pamwe natse Filemon, 2 nokuApia, omwiitaali mukwetu omukiintu nokomukwiita mukwetu Arkippus nokegongalo ndyoka hali gongala maandjeni:
3 Esilohenda nombili yaKalunga Tate noyOmuwa Jesus Kristus nayi kale nane.
Ohole neitaalo lyaFilemon
4 Kuume Filemon, kehe ethimbo tandi galikana, ohandi ku dhimbulukwa nohandi hambelele Kalunga. 5 Oshoka ondu uvu kutya ou hole aantu yaKalunga ayehe, nondu uvu wo eitaalo lyoye, sho wi itaala Omuwa Jesus. 6 Otandi galikana kutya eitaalo lyetu limwe li tu kwathe okutseya nawa omayambeko ngoka tu ga na mokukala kwetu muKristus. 7 Mumwameme omuholike, ohole yoye oya pe ndje enyanyu olindji nomukumo, oshoka owa nyanyudha wo aantu yaKalunga ayehe.
Eindilo omolwaOnesimus
8 Onkee ano ngame nguka omumwanyoko muKristus ondi na lela uupenda oku ku lombwela shoka shi na okuningwa. 9 Ihe shoka ondi ku hole, otandi ku indile owala sha, ngame Paulus, omutumwa gwaJesus Kristus, nongashingeyi ondi li onkwatwa omolwe. 10 Otandi ku indile omolwaOnesimus, omumwandjelela muKristus, ngoka nda ningi he gwopambepo mondholongo. 11 Nale okwa li kee na sho te ku kwatha, ihe ngashingeyi oku na oshilonga kungoye nokungame.
12 Ngashingeyi otandi mu shunitha kungoye, te ya pamwe nomutima gwandje. 13 Pethimbo ndika ndi li mondholongo omolwevaangeli, onda hala ando, ndi mu kaleke pungame, opo a kwathe ndje peha lyoye. 14 Ihe inandi hala, u kwathe ndje molwokuthiminika kwandje, ndele onda hala, u shi ninge kehalo lyoye mwene. Onkee itandi ningi sha, manga inoo zimina.
15 Onesimus pamwe okwa kala kee li pungoye okathimbo okafupi kowala, opo u mu galulilwe, u kale u mu na aluhe. 16 Oshoka ngashingeyi ke li po owala omupika, ihe oku vule omupika; oye omukriste mukwetu omuholike muKristus. Oye omuholike kungame, ihe unene kungoye, ongele omupika nenge omwiitaali gwOmuwa.
17 Onkee ano ngele owa tala ndje kutya ngame okuume koye, mu taamba ngaashi to taamba ndje. 18 Ngele okwe ku ningi nayi nenge e ku lila oongunga, ayihe mbika yi pula ndje. 19 Mpaka otandi nyola po noshikaha shandje mwene: ngame Paulus, otandi dhi futu. Itashi pumbiwa, ndi ku dhimbulukithe kutya omolwokukala kwoye akuhe ou na ongunga nangame. 20 Eeno, mwiitaali mukwetu, kwatha ndje omolwOmuwa; nyanyudha ndje nenyanyu lyomuKristus!
21 Otandi nyola ndi inekela kutya oto ka ninga shoka tandi ku indile, nonda tseya kutya oto ka ninga oshindji shi vule mpoka. 22 Otandi ku lombwele ishewe, u longekidhile ndje eha maandjeni, oshoka ondi na etegameno kutya Kalunga ota ka yamukula omagalikano geni amuhe nokugalulila ndje mokati keni.
Omakundo
23 Epafras, onkwatwa pamwe nangame molwaJesus Kristus, ote mu kundile po. 24 Osho wo aalongi pamwe nangame mbaka: Markus, Aristarkus, Demas naLukas.
25 Esilohenda lyOmuwa Jesus Kristus nali kale nane amuhe.
