1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:
3Grace and peace to you1:3 The Greek is plural; also in verses 22 and 25; elsewhere in this letter “you” is singular. from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,1:10 Onesimus means useful. who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Nkyea
1Nwoma yi firi Paulo a ɛsiane Kristo Yesu enti, meyɛ odeduani no ne yɛn nuabarima Timoteo nkyɛn,
Yɛde kɔma yɛn adamfo ne yɛn yɔnko Filemon 2ne asafo a wɔhyia wɔ wo fie no ne yɛn nuabaa Apia ne yɛn yɔnko ɔsraani Arkipo no:
3Adom ne asomdwoeɛ a ɛfiri yɛn Agya Onyankopɔn ne Awurade Yesu Kristo nka mo.
4Onua Filemon, ɛberɛ biara a mebɔ mpaeɛ no, mebɔ bi ma wo na meda me Onyankopɔn nso ase. 5Mete ɔdɔ a wodɔ Onyankopɔn nkurɔfoɔ ne gyidie a wowɔ wɔ Awurade Yesu mu no. 6Mebɔ mpaeɛ sɛ wobɛkɔ so abɔ wo gyidie no ho dawuro akyerɛ afoforɔ sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛhunu nhyira a Kristo de ama yɛn no nyinaa. 7Onua pa, wo dɔ no ama me anigyeɛ na ahyɛ me nkuran nso. Woakanyane Onyankopɔn nkurɔfoɔ.
8Sɛ meyɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu enti, mɛtumi de akokoɔduru ahyɛ wo, ama woayɛ deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ woyɛ, 9nanso ɔdɔ so, me Paulo a meyɛ akɔkoraa ɛne Kristo Yesu deduani seesei, 10meresrɛ wo ama me ba Onesimo a ɔbɛyɛɛ me ba ɛberɛ a na meda afiase no. 11Ɛberɛ bi a atwam no na ne ho nni mfasoɔ mma wo, nanso seesei deɛ, ne ho wɔ mfasoɔ ma me ne wo.
12Merema ɔno a ɔyɛ mʼankasa mʼakoma no asane nʼakyi aba wo nkyɛn. 13Esiane asɛmpa no enti, mepɛɛ sɛ ɔtena me nkyɛn ɛberɛ a meda afiase yi sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔbɛsi wʼananmu aboa me. 14Nanso, mempɛ sɛ mehyɛ wo sɛ boa me. Mmom, mepɛ sɛ wo ara wofiri wo pɛ mu boa me. Ɛno enti, merenyɛ biribiara gye sɛ wopene so. 15Ebia na Onesimo firii wo nkyɛn ɛberɛ tiawa bi sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛgye no ato mu bio afebɔɔ. 16Seesei ɔnyɛ ɔsomfoɔ kɛkɛ ɛfiri sɛ, ɔkyɛn ɔsomfoɔ. Ɔyɛ onua pa wɔ Kristo mu. Ɔsom bo ma me. Saa ara nso na ɔbɛsom bo ama wo sɛ ɔsomfoɔ ne onua wɔ Awurade mu.
17Enti, sɛ wodwene me ho sɛ wo fafafoɔ a, saa ara nso na gye no awaawaatuu sɛdeɛ wobɛgye me no ara. 18Sɛ wayɛ wo biribi anaasɛ ɔde wo ka bi a, mɛtua wo ka. 19Me Paulo, mede mʼankasa me nsa retwerɛ sɛ mɛtua wo ka, na mmom mma wo werɛ mfiri sɛ wo nso wode me ka, a ɛyɛ wʼankasa wo nkwa. 20Enti, me nua, mesrɛ wo sɛ, Awurade enti, yɛ me saa adɔeɛ yi; ka mʼakoma hye sɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu. 21Mewɔ anidasoɔ sɛ, deɛ meretwerɛ wo yi, wobɛyɛ ama aboro deɛ merebisa wo yi so.
22Afei pɛ ɛdan ma me, ɛfiri sɛ, menim sɛ Onyankopɔn bɛtie mo mpaeɛbɔ ama mabɛka mo ho bio.
23Epafra a Kristo Yesu enti ɔne me da afiase no kyea wo.
24Saa ara nso na Marko, Aristarko, Dema ne Luka nso kyea wo.
25Awurade Kristo adom nka mo nyinaa.
