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 favour 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 for ever – 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.
Nkyia
1Saa nhoma yi fi Paulo a esiane Kristo Yesu nti ɔyɛ odeduani ne yɛn nuabarima Timoteo nkyɛn,
Yɛde kɔma yɛn adamfo ne yɛn yɔnko Filemon 2ne asafo a wohyia wɔ wo fi no ne yɛn nuabea Apia ne yɛn yɔnko sraani Arkipo no:
3Adom ne asomdwoe a efi yɛn Agya Nyankopɔn ne Awurade Yesu Kristo nka mo.
4Onua Filemon, bere biara a mebɔ mpae no mebɔ bi ma wo na meda me Nyankopɔn nso ase. 5Mete ɔdɔ a wodɔ Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo ne gyidi a wowɔ wɔ Awurade Yesu mu no. 6Sɛnea wo ne afoforo kura gyidi koro mu no, mebɔ mpae sɛ wɔn nso behu nhyira a Kristo de ama yɛn no nyinaa. 7Onua pa, wo dɔ no ama me anigye na ahyɛ me nkuran nso. Woakanyan Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo.
8Sɛ meyɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu nti, metumi de akokoduru ahyɛ wo, ama woayɛ nea ɛsɛ sɛ woyɛ, 9nanso me Paulo a meyɛ akwakoraa ne Kristo Yesu deduani fi ɔdɔ mu mprempren 10resrɛ wo ama me ba Onesimo a ɔbɛyɛɛ me ba, bere a na meda afiase no. 11Bere bi a atwa mu no na ne so nni mfaso mma wo, nanso mprempren de, ne so wɔ mfaso ma me ne wo.
12Merema ɔno a ɔyɛ mʼankasa me koma no asan aba wo nkyɛn. 13Esiane asɛmpa no nti, mepɛe sɛ ɔtena me nkyɛn bere a meda afiase yi, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a obesi wʼanan mu aboa me. 14Nanso 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. 15Ebia na Onesimo fii wo nkyɛn bere tiaa bi sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wubegye no ato mu bio afebɔɔ. 16Mprempren 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.
17Enti 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. 18Sɛ wayɛ wo biribi anaasɛ ɔde wo ka bi a, bu tia me. 19Me Paulo, mʼankasa me nsa ano nkyerɛw ni. Metua wo ka, na mmom mma wo werɛ mfi sɛ wo nipadua no ankasa de me ka. 20Enti me nua, mesrɛ wo sɛ, Awurade nti, yɛ me saa adɔe yi; ka me koma hyew sɛ wo nua wɔ Kristo mu. 21Mewɔ anidaso sɛ, nea merekyerɛw wo yi, wobɛyɛ ama aboro nea merebisa wo yi so.
22Afei pɛ ɔdan ma me, efisɛ minim sɛ Onyankopɔn betie mo mpaebɔ ama mabɛka mo ho bio.
23Epafra a Kristo Yesu nti ɔne me da afiase no kyia wo.
24Saa ara nso na Marko, Aristarko, Dema ne Luka nso kyia wo.
25Awurade Yesu Kristo adom nka wo honhom.
