1 Okuza ku Paulus, omupandekwa mena ra Kristus Jesus, nomukwetu Timoteus. Matu tjanga orutuu ndwi kepanga retu nomuungure wapamwe na eṱe Filemon 2 na kombongo, ndji woronganena mondjuwo yoye, na komuṱena kwetu Apia na ku Arkipus, omurwe wapamwe na eṱe.
3 Ndjambi Tate na Muhona Jesus Kristus nge mu pe otjari nohange.
Ongamburiro norusuvero rwa Filemon
4 Mukwetu Filemon, aruhe tji me kumbu mbi ripura na ove nu mbi tja okuhepa ku Ndjambi. 5 Orondu mba zuva orusuvero ndu u na rwo kotjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi atjihe, nongamburiro ndji u na yo mu Muhona Jesus. 6 Ongumbiro yandje oyokutja oruwano ndu tu na rwo na ove otja ovakambure ru eṱe ounongo wokutjiwa oviṋa avihe oviwa mbi matu sora okutjitira Kristus. 7 Orusuvero rwoye, mukwetu omusuverwa, rwe ndji pa ondjoroka onene nokundjiyanḓiparisa! Ove wa tarareka omitima vyotjiwaṋa atjihe tja Ndjambi.
Paulus me riyarikaṋa ku Onesimus
8 Ami opu mba zokukara nouvara, otja ngu mbi ri omukweṋu mu Kristus, okukurakiza kutja u tjite imbi mbi u sokutjita. 9 Nungwari mena rokutja mbe ku suvera me riyarikaṋa kove. Ami, Paulus, ngu mbi ri omurumendu omunene, nu nambano wina ngu mbi ri omupandekwa wa Kristus Jesus, 10 me riyarikaṋene Onesimus kove. Imwi motjovakamburwa eye wa rira omuatje wandje. 11 Rukuru eye ka ri omunanḓengu kove, nungwari nambano wa rira omunanḓengu tjinene ku eṱe atuyevari.
12 Ami me mu yarura kove nambano, nomutima wandje mau kayenda pamwe na ye. 13 Ami etje vanga kutja a kare pu ami, kokutja eye a yenene okundjivatera moruveze rwoye, ngunda ambi ri motjovakamburwa motjimbe tjOmbuze Ombwa. 14 Nungwari ami hi nokuvanga okutjita nai nokuhinomaitaverero woye, kokutja ihi tji mo tjiti o ha ṋiṋikizirwa ko, nungwari u tjite nombango yoye omuini.
15 Ngahino Onesimus opa zira po pove oruveze orusupi, kokutja, tja kotoka, a karerere pove nga aruhe. 16 Eye nambano omunanḓengu tjinene kove okukapita omukarere, okutja omukwetu omusuverwa mu Kristus, nu tjinene ku ami, nungwari tjinene komeho ma rire omunanḓengu kove otja omundu notja omukweṋu mu Muhona!
17 Nu tji u ndji vara otja owapamwe na ove, mu yakura otja tjotjo yakura ami omuini. 18 Nu tje ku tjita ouhasemba kaaṋi poo tje nondjo yoye yorive, i tjanga kena randje. 19 Ami, Paulus, me tjanga hi neke randje omuini: “Me sutu.” Ami hi nokuhepa okukuzemburukisa kutja ihi ove tji u ri, tja za mu ami. 20 Ii, mukwetu, mena ra Muhona ndji tjitira ouwa mbwi; tarareka omutima wandje otja omukwetu mu Kristus!
21 Ami me tjiwa, tjiri, otja tji me tjanga nai, kutja ihi tji me ku ningire ove mo tjiti. Nu tjinene wina me tjiwa kutja mo tjiti ovingi komeho yaimbi mbi me ku ningire. 22 Nu rukwao ndji ṱunina etuwo mu me yokukara, ami tjinga ame undju kutja Ndjambi ma zuvire ozongumbiro zeṋu amuhe, ne ndji kotora ku eṋe.
Ozombinika
23 Epafras, ngu ri puna ami motjovakamburwa mena ra Kristus Jesus, me ku minike. 24 Nu Markus na Aristarkus na Demas na Lukas, ovaungure vapamwe na ami, wina mave ku minike.
25 Otjari tja Muhona wetu Jesus Kristus ngatji kare na eṋe amuhe.
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!
