1 Ndimi Paulo, nsungwa ngekwa Kirisiti Jesu, ndina Timoti ikamu tjedu.
Ku nshingi naswi unodika Filimoni 2 na Afiya, hazwadzi yedu, na Akipo mbhayani naswi ne gubungano linoshanganila mu nzi uwo.
3 Ngoni ne kunyalala kunodwa ku Ndzimu Tate bedu na She Jesu Kirisiti ngakube namwi.
Ludo gwa Filimoni ne bugalimoyo gugwe
4 Tjibaka tjimwe ne tjimwe ndoboka Ndzimu wangu ha ndikukumbula mu mitembezelo yangu, 5 ngobe ndohwa ngekwe ludo gugo mu bathu bose be Ndzimu ne kugalamoyo kwaunako muna She Jesu. 6 Ndotembezela kuti usime mukukobana bugalimoyo kuko kuti ndizo ube ne kuhwisisa kuzhele nge tjimwe ne tjimwe tjatinatjo muna Kirisiti. 7 Ikamu tjangu, ndina kushatha ne kukulumbidzika kukulu kunodwa mu ludo gugo! Wakashathisa mimoyo ye bathu be Ndzimu bose.
Onesimasi
8 Ngekwa ikoku, nenguba ndina shaladuko tjose muna Kirisiti, kukulaya kushinga tjakafanila kushingiwa, 9 koga ngobe ndokuda, mu bumo gwekuti ndikulaye ndokukumbila. Imi Paulo nthuntana, nsungwa ngekwa Kirisiti Jesu, 10 ndokukumbila ngekwa Onesimasi nkololo wangu muna Kirisiti, wandakabe tate babe ndili mu busungwa. 11 Wakatongobe asina nshingo ku kuli, koga ngwenu watjibe ne nshingo ku kuli ne kundili.
12 Ndombgwiliza ku kuli ngwenu, ndin'da kwazo nge ludo gwangu gose. 13 Ndabe ndingada kugala naye ngeno nditjimu busungwa ngekwe Ndebo mbuya kuti andibhatshe mu bumo gugo. 14 Koga anditoyemula kutola thambo imwe kuzhe kwe ndingaziba iwe sekwa unoalakana, kuti ndulamo iyo isitongobe nge kukombeledzwa, koga kube iwe unothama ngosununguka.
15 Pamwe wakathubukanyiwa nawe kwe tjibaka tjifupi kuti ndizo uzhe ube naye kwatjose, 16 asitji nlanda koga, ngono abe nthu unopinda nlanda atjibe ikamu tjinodika muna Kirisiti. Ndon'da seni! Ngono iwe wakafanila kun'da kupinda, se nlanda kakale ikamu tjitjo muna She!
17 Ndizo ha ndili nkwinya uwo, un'amutjile sekwa ungandiamutjila. 18 Ha akakutjinyila kene ekukolota tjimwe, utjikwale mu nlandu wangu. 19 Imi Paulo, ndokwala ikoku nge luboko gwangu nditi, “Ndowokulipa.” Andinako, kakale andizofanila kube nako kukukumbuludza, kuti unondikolota butjilo gugo. 20 Ndoyemula ikamu tjangu, kuti ndibe ne bhatsho inodwa mukuli, muna She. Nyatutusa moyo wangu muna Kirisiti.
21 Ngobe ndogalabgwe kuhwa kuko, ndokukwalila ndiziba kuti unowoshinga ne kunopinda tjandinokumbila. 22 Kakale undilulwamisile buyizelo, ngobe ndogalabgwe kuti Ndzimu unodabila mitembezelo yenyu mose, ukathama kuti ndizhe kumuli.
Matama ebupelo
23 Epafurasi nsungwa ngekwa Kirisiti Jesu sami, unokudumilisa, 24 na Mako na Arisitako na Demasi na Luke, bashingi nami banodumilisabo.
25 Ngoni dza She Jesu Kirisiti ngadzibe namwi.
1 From Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy—
To our friend and fellow worker Philemon, 2 and the church that meets in your house, and our sister Apphia, and our fellow soldier Archippus:
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Philemon's Love and Faith
4 Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God. 5 For I hear of your love for all of God's people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ. 7 Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God's people.
A Request for Onesimus
8 For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done. 9 But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake. 10 So I make a request to you on behalf of Onesimus, who is my own son in Christ; for while in prison I have become his spiritual father. 11 At one time he was of no use to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back to you now, and with him goes my heart. 13 I would like to keep him here with me, while I am in prison for the gospel's sake, so that he could help me in your place. 14 However, I do not want to force you to help me; rather, I would like for you to do it of your own free will. So I will not do anything unless you agree.
15 It may be that Onesimus was away from you for a short time so that you might have him back for all time. 16 And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord!
17 So, if you think of me as your partner, welcome him back just as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to my account. 19 Here, I will write this with my own hand: I, Paul, will pay you back. (I should not have to remind you, of course, that you owe your very self to me.) 20 So, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake; as a brother in Christ, cheer me up!
21 I am sure, as I write this, that you will do what I ask—in fact I know that you will do even more. 22 At the same time, get a room ready for me, because I hope that God will answer the prayers of all of you and give me back to you.
Final Greetings
23 Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the sake of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, 24 and so do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.