1 N a Paora, na te herehere a Karaiti Ihu, na to taua teina hoki, na Timoti, ki ta maua e aroha nei, ki to maua hoa mahi, ki a Pirimona,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,

2 K i a Apia hoki, ko to maua tuahine, ki to maua hoa hoia, ki a Arakipu, ki te hahi hoki i tou whare:

to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

3 K ia tau te aroha noa ki a koutou, me te rangimarie, he mea na te Atua, na to tatou Matua, na te Ariki hoki, na Ihu Karaiti.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 T enei ahau te whakawhetai atu nei ki toku Atua, mau tonu toku mahara ki a koe i aku karakiatanga:

I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,

5 H e rongo noku ki tou aroha, ki tou whakapono ki te Ariki, ki a Ihu, a ki te hunga tapu katoa;

hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

6 M o te whakahoatanga mai o tou whakapono kia whai mana, i runga i te matauranga ki nga pai katoa i roto i a koutou, he mea ki a Karaiti Ihu.

that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

7 H e nui hoki to matou koa, marie ana hoki te ngakau i tou aroha, no te mea e ora ana nga ngakau o te hunga tapu i a koe, e toku teina.

For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. The Plea for Onesimus

8 H eoi ahakoa he nui toku maia i roto i a te Karaiti ki te whakatakoto atu i te mea tika ki a koe,

Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,

9 N a te aroha ke taku ka inoi atu nei, ara taku, ta te koroheke, ta Paora, he herehere nei inaianei na Ihu Karaiti;

yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you —being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

10 H e kupu tenei naku ki a koe mo taku tamaiti, mo Onehimu, he mea whanau naku i ahau nei i te herehere:

I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,

11 I mua, kahore tetahi mea pai ana ki a koe; inaianei ia, kua whai pai koe i a ia, ahau ano hoki.

who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

12 K ua whakahokia atu nei ia e ahau, tona tinana tonu, ko toku manawa ake ia.

I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

13 I mea ano ahau kia puritia ia ki ahau, hei whakakapi mou ki te mahi ki ahau i roto i nga mekameka o te rongopai:

whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 O tira kahore nei tau kupu, kihai ahau i pai kia meatia tetahi mea; kei riro whakauaua mai tou pai; engari i roto ano i te ngakau.

But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

15 K o te mea ano pea tenei i motuhia mai ai ia i a koe mo tetahi wa, kia mau pu ai ia i a koe ake ake;

For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,

16 E hara i te mea hei pononga ia i enei wa, engari tera atu i te pononga, he teina i nui rawa ai toku aroha, tera ia e nui rawa atu tou, i te kikokiko, i te Ariki ano hoki.

no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

17 N a, ki te mea kua waiho ahau hei hoa mou, manako mai ki a ia me te mea ko ahau.

If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

18 K i te mea ia kua he ia ki tetahi mea au, kei a ia ranei tetahi mea au, waiho mai maku tena e whakaaro;

But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

19 H e tuhituhi tenei naku, na Paora, na toku ringaringa ake, maku e whakautu; na kahore aku meatanga atu ki a koe, tera ano taku taonga kei a koe, ko koe ano.

I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.

20 A e ra, e toku teina, kia whai pai ahau i a koe i roto i te Ariki: kia ora toku ngakau i roto i te Ariki.

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

21 H e u no toku whakaaro ki a koe ka ngohengohe, i tuhituhi atu ai ahau ki a koe, e mohio ana hoki, tera e nui atu tau e mea ai i taku e korero atu nei.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

22 T enei ano hoki, kia rite mai i a koe tetahi whare moku: e mea ana hoki ahau tera e mana a koutou inoi, a ka tukua atu ahau kia a koutou.

But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. Farewell

23 T enei te oha atu nei ki a koe a Epapara, toku hoa herehere i roto i a Karaiti Ihu,

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

24 R atou tahi ko Maka, ko Aritaku, ko Rimaha, ko Ruka, oku hoa mahi.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

25 K ia tau te aroha noa o to tatou Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti ki o koutou wairua. Amine.

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