¹Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

¹Mimi Paulo, mfungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu, na ndugu Timotheo, ninakuandikia wewe Filemoni mpendwa, mfanyakazi mwenzetu

²And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

²na kanisa linalokutana nyumbani kwako, na wewe dada Afia, na askari mwenzetu Arkupo.

³Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Tunawatakieni neema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba yetu, na kwa Bwana yesu Kristo.

⁴I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

⁴Kila wakati ninaposali nakukumbuka wewe Filemoni, na kumshukuru Mungu

⁵Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

⁵maana nasikia habari za imani yako kwa Bwana wetu Yesu na upendo wako kwa watu wote wa Mungu.

⁶That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

⁶Naomba ili imani hiyo unayoshiriki pamoja nasi ikuwezeshe kuwa na ujuzi mkamilifu zaidi wa baraka zote tunazopata katika kuungana kwetu na Kristo.

⁷For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

⁷Ndugu, upendo wako yameniletea furaha kubwa na kunipa moyo sana! Nawe umeichangamsha mioyo ya watu wa Mungu.

⁸Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

⁸Kwa sababu hiyo, ningeweza, kwa uhodari kabisa, nikiwa ndugu yako katika Kristo, kukuamuru ufanye unachopaswa kufanya.

⁹Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

⁹Lakini kwa sababu ya upendo, ni afadhali zaidi nikuombe. Nafanya hivi ingawa mimi ni Paulo, balozi wa Kristo Yesu, na sasa pia mfungwa kwa ajili yake.

¹⁰I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

¹⁰Basi, ninalo ombi moja kwako kuhusu mwanangu Onesimo, ambaye ni mwanangu katika Kristo kwani nimekuwa baba yake nikiwa kifungoni.

¹¹Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

¹¹Ni Onesimo yuleyule ambaye wakati mmoja alikuwa hakufai kitu, lakini sasa ananifaa mimi na wewe pia.

¹²Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

¹²Sasa namrudisha kwako, naye ni kama moyo wangu mimi mwenyewe.

¹³Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

¹³Ningependa akae nami hapa anisaidie badala yako wakati niwapo kifungoni kwa sababu ya Habari Njema.

¹⁴But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

¹⁴Lakini sitafanya chochote bila kibali chako. Sipendi kukulazimisha unisaidie, kwani wema wako unapaswa kutokana na hiari yako wewe mwenyewe na si kwa kulazimika.

¹⁵For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

¹⁵Labda Onesimo aliondoka kwako kwa kitambo tu, kusudi uweze tena kuwa naye daima.

¹⁶Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

¹⁶Na sasa yeye si mtumwa tu, ila ni bora zaidi ya mtumwa: yeye ni ndugu yetu mpenzi. Na wa maana sana kwangu mimi, na kwako atakuwa wa maana zaidi kama mtumwa na kama ndugu katika Bwana.

¹⁷If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

¹⁷Basi, ikiwa wanitambua mimi kuwa mwenzako, mpokee tena kama vile ungenipokea mimi mwenyewe.

¹⁸If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

¹⁸Kama alikuwa amekukosea kitu, au alikuwa na deni lako, basi, unidai mimi.

¹⁹I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

¹⁹Naandika jambo hili kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe: Mimi Paulo nitalipa! (Tena sina haja ya kusema kwamba wewe unalo deni kwangu la nafsi yako.)

²⁰Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

²⁰Haya, basi, ndugu yangu, nifanyie jambo hilo kwa ajili ya jina la Bwana; burudisha moyo wangu kama ndugu katika Kristo.

²¹Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

²¹Naandika nikitumaini kwamba utanikubalia ombi langu; tena najua kwamba utafanya hata zaidi ya haya ninayokuomba.

²²But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

²²Pamoja na hayo, nitayarishie chumba kwani natumaini kwamba kwa sala zenu, Mungu atanijalia niwatembeleeni.

²³There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

²³Epafra, mfungwa mwenzangu kwa ajili ya Kristo Yesu, anakusalimu.

²⁴Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

²⁴Nao akina Marko, Aristarko, Dema na Luka, wafanyakazi wenzangu, wanakusalimu.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

²⁵Nawatakieni ninyi nyote neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo.