Bible (Wycliffe)/2 Corinthis

Chapter 1
Poul, apostle of Jhesu Crist, bi the wille of God, and Tymothe, brothir, to the chirche of God that is at Corinthi, with alle seyntis that ben in al Acaie, grace to you,

and pees of God oure fadir and of the Lord Jhesu Crist.

Blessid be God and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, fadir of mercies, and God of al coumfort,

which coumfortith vs in al oure tribulacioun, that also we moun coumforte hem, that ben in al diseese, bi the monestyng bi which also we ben monestid of God.

For as the passiouns of Crist ben plenteuouse in vs, so also bi Crist oure coumfort is plenteuouse.

And whether we ben in tribulacioun, for youre tribulacioun and heelthe, ethir we ben coumfortid, for youre coumfort, ethir we ben monestid, for youre monestyng and heelthe. Which worchith in you the suffring of the same passiouns, whiche `we also suffren,

that oure hope be sad for you; witynge for as ye ben felowis of passiouns, so ye schulen ben also of coumfort.

For, britheren, we wolen that ye wite of oure tribulacioun, that was don in Asie; for ouer maner we weren greued ouer myyt, so that it anoiede vs, yhe, to lyue.

But we in vs silf hadden answere of deth, that we truste not in vs, but in God that reisith deed men.

Which delyuerede vs, and delyuerith fro so grete perelis, in to whom we hopen, also yit he schal delyuere,

while also ye helpen in preier for vs; that of the persones of many faces of that yyuyng that is in vs, thankyngis ben don for vs bi many men to God.

For oure glorie is this, the witnessyng of oure conscience, that in symplenesse and clennesse of God, and not in fleischli wisdom, but in the grace of God, we lyueden in this world, but more plenteuousli to you.

And we writen not othere thingis to you, than tho that ye han red and knowe, and Y hope that in to the ende ye schulen knowe,

as also ye han knowe vs a parti; for we ben youre glorie, as also ye ben oure in the dai of oure Lord Jhesu Crist.

And in this tristyng Y wolde first come to you, that ye schulden haue the secounde grace,

and passe bi you in to Macedonye, and eft fro Macedonye come to you, and of you be led in to Judee.

But whanne Y wolde this thing, whether Y vside vnstidfastnesse, ether tho thingis that Y thenke, Y thenke aftir the fleisch, that at me be, it is and it is not?

But God is trewe, for oure word that was at you is and is not, is not ther ynne, but is is in it.

For whi Jhesus Crist, the sone of God, which is prechid among you bi vs, bi me, and Syluan, and Tymothe, ther was not in hym is and is not, but is was in hym.

For whi hou many euer ben biheestis of God, in thilke is, `that is, ben fillid. And therfor and bi hym we seien amen to God, to oure glorie.

Sotheli it is God that confermeth vs with you in Crist, and the which God anoyntide vs,

and which markide vs, and yaf ernes of the spirit in oure hertis.

For Y clepide God to witnesse ayens my soule, that Y sparynge you cam not ouer to Corynthe; not that we ben lordis of youre feith, but we ben helperis of youre ioye; for thorouy bileue ye stonden.

Chapter 2
And Y ordeynede this ilke thing at me, that Y schulde not come eftsoone in heuynes to you.

For if Y make you sori, who is he that gladith me, but he that is soreuful of me?

And this same thing Y wroot to you, that whanne Y come, Y haue not sorewe on sorewe, of the whiche it behofte me to haue ioie. And Y triste in you alle, that my ioye is of alle you.

For of myche tribulacioun and angwisch of herte Y wroot to you by many teeris, not that ye be sori, but that ye wite what charite Y haue more plenteuously in you.

For if ony man hath maad me soreuful, he hath not maad me sorewful but a parti, that Y charge not you alle.

This blamyng that ys maad of manye, suffisith to hym, that is sich oon;

so that ayenward ye rathir foryyuen and coumfort, lest perauenture he that is suche a maner man, be sopun vp bi more grete heuynesse.

For which thing Y biseche you, that ye conferme charite in to hym.

For whi therfor Y wroot this, that Y knowe youre preuyng, whether in alle thingis ye ben obedient.

For to whom ye han foryyuen ony thing, also Y haue foryyue. For Y that that Y foryaf, yif Y foryaf ony thing, haue youun for you in the persone of Crist,

that we be not disseyued of Sathanas; for we knowen hise thouytis.

But whanne Y was comun to Troade for the gospel of Crist, and a dore was opened to me in the Lord,

Y hadde not rest to my spirit, for Y foond not my brother Tite, but Y seide to hem farewel, and Y passide in to Macedonye.

And Y do thankyngis to God, that euere more makith vs to haue victorie in Crist Jhesu, and schewith bi vs the odour of his knowing in ech place;

for we ben the good odour of Crist to God, among these that ben maad saaf, and among these that perischen.

To othere sotheli odour of deth in to deth, but to othere we ben odour of lijf in to lijf. And to these thingis who is so able?

For we ben not as many, that don auoutrie bi the word of God, but we speken of clennesse, as of God, bifor God in Crist.

Chapter 3
Bigynnen we therfor eftsoone to preise vs silf? or whether we neden, as summen, pistlis of preisinge to you, or of you?

Ye ben oure pistle, writun in oure hertis, which is knowun and red of alle men,

and maad opyn, for ye ben the pistle of Crist mynystrid of vs, and writun, not with enke, but bi the spirit of the lyuynge God; not in stony tablis, but in fleischli tablis of herte.

For we han such trist bi Crist to God;

not that we ben sufficient to thenke ony thing of vs, as of vs, but oure sufficience is of God.

Which also made vs able mynystris of the newe testament, not bi lettre, but bi spirit; for the lettre sleeth, but the spirit quykeneth.

And if the mynystracioun of deth write bi lettris in stoonys was in glorie, so that the children of Israel myyten not biholde in to the face of Moises, for the glorie of his cheer, which is auoidid,

hou schal not the mynystracioun of the spirit be more in glorie?

For if the mynystracioun of dampnacioun was in glorie, myche more the mynysterie of riytwisnesse is plenteuouse in glorie.

For nether that that was cleer was glorified in this part for the excellent glorie; and if that that is auoidid,

was bi glorie, myche more that that dwellith stille is in glorie.

Therfor we that han suche hope, vsen myche trist;

and not as Moises leide a veil on his face, that the children of Israel schulden not biholde in to his face, which veil is auoidid.

But the wittis of hem ben astonyed; for in to this dai the same veil in reding of the olde testament dwellith not schewid, for it is auoidid in Crist, but in to this dai,

whanne Moises is red, the veil is put on her hertis.

But whanne Israel schal be conuertid to God, the veil schal be don awei.

And the spirit is the Lord; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is fredom.

And alle we that with open face seen the glorie of the Lord, ben transformed in to the same ymage, fro clerenesse in to clerenesse, as of the spirit of the Lord.

Chapter 4
Therfor we that han this admynystracioun, aftir this that we han getun merci,

faile we not, but do we awei the preue thingis of schame, not walkinge in sutil gile, nether doynge auoutrye bi the word of God, but in schewynge of the treuthe comendynge vs silf to ech conscience of men bifor God.

For if also oure gospel is kyuerid, in these that perischen it is kyuerid;

in which God hath blent the soulis of vnfeithful men of this world, that the liytnyng of the gospel of the glorie of Crist, which is the ymage of God, schyne not.

But we prechen not vs silf, but oure Lord Jhesu Crist; and vs youre seruauntis bi Jhesu.

For God, that seide liyt to schyne of derknessis, he hath youe liyt in oure hertis, to the liytnyng of the science of the clerenesse of God, in the face of Jhesu Crist.

And we han this tresour in britil vessels, that the worthinesse be of Goddis vertu, and not of vs.

In alle thingis we suffren tribulacioun, but we ben not angwischid, or annoyed; we ben maad pore, but `we lacken nothing; we suffren persecucioun,

but we ben not forsakun; we ben maad lowe, but we ben not confoundid; we ben cast doun, but we perischen not.

And euere more we beren aboute the sleyng of Jhesu in oure bodi, that also the lijf of Jhesu be schewid in oure bodies.

For euere more we that lyuen, ben takun in to deth for Jhesu, that the lijf of Jhesu be schewid in oure deedli fleisch.

Therfor deth worchith in vs, but lijf worchith in you.

And we han the same spirit of feith, as it is writun, Y haue bileuyd, Y haue spoke; and we bileuen, wherfor also we speken;

witynge that he that reiside Jhesu, schal reise also vs with Jhesu, and schal ordeyne with you.

And alle thingis for you, that a plenteuouse grace bi many thankyngis be plenteuouse in to the glorie of God.

For which thing we failen not, for thouy oure vtter man be corruptid; netheles the ynner man is renewid fro dai to dai.

But that liyt thing of oure tribulacioun that lastith now, but as it were by a moment, worchith in vs ouer mesure an euerlastynge birthin in to the heiynesse of glorie;

while that we biholden not tho thingis that ben seyn, but tho that ben not seyn. For tho thingis that ben seyn, ben but durynge for a schort tyme; but tho thingis that ben not seyn, ben euerlastynge.

Chapter 5
And we witen, that if oure ertheli hous of this dwellynge be dissoluyd, that we han a bildyng of God, an hous not maad bi hondis, euerlastynge in heuenes.

For whi in this thing we mornen, coueitynge to be clothid aboue with oure dwellyng, which is of heuene; if netheles we ben foundun clothid,

and not nakid.

For whi and we that ben in this tabernacle, sorewen with ynne, and ben heuyed, for that we wolen not be spuylid, but be clothid aboue; that the ilke thing that is deedli, be sopun vp of lijf.

But who is it that makith vs in to this same thing? God, that yaf to vs the ernes of the spirit.

Therfor we ben hardi algatis, and witen that the while we ben in this bodi, we goen in pilgrymage fro the Lord;

for we walken bi feith, and not bi cleer siyt.

But we ben hardi, and han good wille, more to be in pilgrymage fro the bodi, and to be present to God.

And therfor we stryuen, whether absent, whether present, to plese hym.

For it bihoueth vs alle to be schewid bifor the trone of Crist, that euery man telle the propre thingis of the bodi, as he hath don, ethir good, ether yuel.

Therfor we witynge the drede of the Lord, councelen men, for to God we ben opyn; and Y hope, that we ben opyn also in youre consciencis.

We comenden not vs silf eftsoone to you, but we yyuen to you occasioun to haue glorie for vs, that ye haue to hem that glorien in the face, and not in the herte.

For ethir we bi mynde passen to God, ether we ben sobre to you.

For the charite of Crist dryueth vs; gessynge this thing, that if oon died for alle, thanne alle weren deed.

And Crist diede for alle, that thei that lyuen, lyue not now to hem silf, but to hym that diede for hem, and roos ayen.

Therfor we fro this tyme knowen no man aftir the fleische; thouy we knowun Crist aftir the fleisch, but nowe we knowun not.

Therfor if ony newe creature is in Crist, the elde thingis ben passid.

And lo! alle thingis ben of God, which recounselide vs to hym bi Crist, and yaf to vs the seruyce of recounselyng.

And God was in Crist, recounselynge to hym the world, not rettynge to hem her giltes, and puttide in vs the word of recounselyng.

Therfor we vsen message for Crist, as if God monestith bi vs; we bisechen for Crist, be ye recounselid to God.

God the fadir made hym synne for vs, which knewe not synne, that we schulden be maad riytwisnesse of God in hym.

Chapter 6
But we helpynge monesten, that ye resseyuen not the grace of God in veyn.

For he seith, In tyme wel plesinge Y haue herd thee, and in the dai of heelthe Y haue helpid thee. Lo! now a tyme acceptable, lo! now a dai of heelthe.

Yyue we to no man ony offencioun, that oure seruyce be not repreued;

but in alle thingis yyue we vs silf as the mynystris of God, in myche pacience, in tribulaciouns,

in nedis, in angwischis, in betyngis, in prisouns, in dissensiouns with ynne, in trauels, in wakyngis, in fastyngis,

in chastite, in kunnyng, in long abiding, in swetnesse, in the Hooli Goost,

in charite not feined, in the word of treuthe, in the vertu of God; bi armeris of riytwisnesse on the riythalf and on the lefthalf;

bi glorie and vnnoblei; bi yuel fame and good fame; as disseyueris, and trewe men; as thei that ben vnknowun, and knowun;

as men diynge, and lo! we lyuen; as chastisid, and not maad deed;

as sorewful, euere more ioiynge; as hauynge nede, but makynge many men riche; as no thing hauynge, and weldynge alle thingis.

A! ye Corynthies, oure mouth is open to you, oure herte is alargid;

ye ben not angwischid in vs, but ye ben anguischid in youre inwardnessis.

And Y seie as to sones, ye that han the same reward, be ye alargid.

Nyle ye bere the yok with vnfeithful men. For what parting of riytwisnes with wickidnesse? or what felouschipe of liyt to derknessis?

and what acording of Crist to Belial? or what part of a feithful with the vnfeithful?

and what consent to the temple of God with mawmetis? And ye ben the temple of the lyuynge God, as the Lord seith, For Y schal dwelle in hem, and Y schal walke among hem; and Y schal be God of hem, and thei schulen be a puple to me.

For which thing go ye out of the myddil of hem, and be ye departid, seith the Lord, and touche ye not vnclene thing;

and Y schal resseyue you, and schal be to you in to a fadir, and ye schulen be to me in to sones and douytris, seith the Lord almyyti.

Chapter 7
Therfor, most dereworthe britheren, we that han these biheestis, clense we vs fro al filthe of the fleische and of the spirit, doynge holynesse in the drede of God.

Take ye vs; we han hirt no man, we han apeirid no man, we han bigilid no man.

Y seie not to youre condempnyng; for Y seide bifor, that ye ben in youre hertis, to die togidere and to lyue togidere.

Myche trist is to me anentis you, myche gloriyng is to me for you. Y am fillid with coumfort, Y am plenteuouse in ioie in al oure tribulacioun.

For whanne we weren comun to Macedonye, oure fleisch hadde no reste, but we suffriden al tribulacioun; with outforth fiytingis, and dredis with ynne.

But God that coumfortith meke men, coumfortide vs in the comyng of Tite.

And not oneli in the comyng of him, but also in the coumfort bi which he was coumfortid in you, tellinge to vs youre desire, youre weping, youre loue for me, so that Y ioiede more.

For thouy Y made you sorie in a pistle, it rewith me not; thouy it rewide, seynge that thouy thilke pistle made you sori at an our, now Y haue ioie;

not for ye weren maad soreuful, but for ye weren maad soreuful to penaunce. For whi ye ben maad sori aftir God, that in no thing ye suffre peirement of vs.

For the sorewe that is aftir God, worchith penaunce in to stidfast heelthe; but sorewe of the world worchith deth.

For lo! this same thing, that ye ben soreuful aftir God, hou myche bisynesse it worchith in you; but defendyng, but indignacioun, but drede, but desire, but loue, but veniaunce. In alle thingis ye han youun you silf to be vndefoulid in the cause.

Therfor thouy Y wroot to you, Y wroot not for hym that dide the iniurie, nether for hym that suffride, but to schewe oure bisinesse, which we han for you bifor God.

Therfor we ben coumfortid, but in youre coumfort more plenteuousli we ioyeden more on the ioie of Tite, for his spirit is fulfillid of alle you.

And if Y gloriede ony thing anentis hym of you, Y am not confoundid; but as we han spoke to you alle thingis, so also oure glorie that was at Tite, is maad treuthe.

And the inwardnesse of hym be more plenteuousli in you, which hath in mynde the obedience of you alle, hou with drede and trembling ye resseyueden hym.

Y haue ioye, that in alle thingis Y triste in you.

Chapter 8
But, britheren, we maken knowun to you the grace of God, that is youun in the chirchis of Macedonye,

that in myche asaiyng of tribulacioun, the plente of the ioye of hem was, and the hiyeste pouert of hem was plenteuouse `in to the richessis of the symplenesse of hem.

For Y bere witnessyng to hem, aftir miyt and aboue miyt thei weren wilful,

with myche monestyng bisechynge vs the grace and the comynyng of mynystring, that is maad to hooli men.

And not as we hopiden, but thei yauen hem silf first to the Lord, aftirward to vs bi the wille of God.

So that we preyeden Tite, that as he bigan, so also he performe in you this grace.

But as ye abounden in alle thingis, in feith, and word, and kunnyng, and al bisynesse, more ouer and in youre charite in to vs, that and in this grace ye abounden.

Y seie not as comaundinge, but bi the bisynesse of othere men appreuynge also the good wit of youre charite.

And ye witen the grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, for he was maad nedi for you, whanne he was riche, that ye schulden be maad riche bi his nedynesse.

And Y yyue counsel in this thing; for this is profitable to you, that not oneli han bigunne to do, but also ye bigunnen to haue wille fro the formere yere.

But now parfourme ye in deed, that as the discrecioun of wille is redi, so be it also of parformyng of that that ye han.

For if the wille be redi, it is acceptid aftir that that it hath, not aftir that that it hath not.

And not that it be remyssioun to othere men, and to you tribulacioun;

but of euenesse in the present tyme youre aboundance fulfille the myseese of hem, that also the aboundaunce of hem be a fulfillynge of youre myseise, that euenesse be maad; as it is writun,

He that gaderide myche, was not encresid, and he that gaderide litil, hadde not lesse.

And Y do thankyngis to God, that yaf the same bisynesse for you in the herte of Tite,

for he resseyuede exortacioun; but whanne he was bisier, bi his wille he wente forth to you.

And we senten with hym a brother, whose preisyng is in the gospel bi alle chirchis.

And not oneli, but also he is ordeyned of chirchis the felowe of oure pilgrimage in to this grace, that is mynystrid of vs to the glorie of the Lord, and to oure ordeyned wille;

eschewynge this thing, that no man blame vs in this plente, that is mynystrid of vs to the glorye of the Lord.

For we purueyen good thingis, not onely bifor God, but also bifor alle men.

For we senten with hem also oure brothir, whom we han preued in many thingis ofte, that he was bisi, but nowe myche bisier, for myche trist in you,

ethir for Tite, that is my felowe and helpere in you, ethir for oure britheren, apostlis of the chirches of the glorie of Crist.

Therfor schewe ye in to hem in the face of chirchis, that schewynge that is of youre charite and of oure glorie for you.

Chapter 9
For of the mynystrie that is maad to hooli men, it is to me of plente to write to you.

For Y knowe youre wille, for the which Y haue glorie of you anentis Macedonyes, for also Acaie is redi fro a yeer passid, and youre loue hath stirid ful manye.

And we han sent britheren, that this thing that we glorien of you, be not auoidid in this parti, that as Y seide, ye be redi.

Lest whanne Macedonyes comen with me, and fynden you vnredi, we be schamed, that we seien you not, in this substaunce.

Therfor Y gesside necessarie to preie britheren, that thei come bifore to you, and make redi this bihiyt blessyng to be redi, so as blessing, and not as aueryce.

For Y seie this thing, he that sowith scarseli, schal also repe scarseli; and he that sowith in blessyngis, schal `repe also of blessyngis.

Ech man as he castide in his herte, not of heuynesse, or of nede; for God loueth a glad yyuere.

And God is miyti to make al grace abounde in you, that ye in alle thingis euere more han al sufficience, and abounde in to al good werk;

as it is writun, He delide abrood, he yaf to pore men, his riytwisnesse dwellith withouten ende.

And he that mynystrith seed to the sowere, schal yyue also breed to ete, and he schal multiplie youre seed, and make myche the encreessingis of fruytis of youre riytwisnesse;

that in alle thingis ye maad riche waxen plenteuouse in to al symplenesse, which worchith bi vs doing of thankingis to God.

For the mynystrie of this office not oneli fillith tho thingis that failen to holi men, but also multiplieth many thankyngis to God,

bi the preuyng of this mynystrie, which glorifien God in the obedience of youre knouleching in the gospel of Crist, and in symplenesse of comynycacioun in to hem and in to alle,

and in the biseching of hem for you, that desiren you for the excellent grace of God in you.

Y do thankyngis to God of the yifte of hym, that may not be teld.

Chapter 10
And Y my silf Poul biseche you, bi the myldenesse and softnesse of Crist, which in the face am meke among you, and Y absent triste in you.

For Y preie you, that lest Y present be not bold bi the trist, in which Y am gessid to be bold in to summe, that demen vs, as if we wandren aftir the fleisch.

For we walkynge in fleisch, fiyten not aftir the fleisch.

For the armuris of oure knyythod ben not fleischli, but myyti bi God to the distruccioun of strengthis. And we distrien counsels,

and alle hiynesse that hiyeth it silf ayens the science of God, and dryuen `in to caitifte al vndirstonding in to the seruyce of Crist.

And we han redi to venge al vnobedience, whanne youre obedience schal be fillid.

Se ye the thingis that ben after the face. If ony man trustith to him silf, that he is of Crist, thenke he this thing eft anentis hym silf,

for as he is Cristis, so also we. For if Y schal glorie ony thing more of oure power, which the Lord yaf to vs in to edifiyng, and not in to youre distruccioun, Y schal not be schamed.

But that Y be not gessid as to fere you bi epistlis,

for thei seien, That epistlis ben greuouse and stronge, but the presence of the bodi is feble, and the word worthi to be dispisid.

He that is suche oon, thenke this, for suche as we absent ben in word bi pistlis, suche we ben present in dede.

For we doren not putte vs among, or comparisoune vs to summen, that comenden hem silf; but we mesuren vs in vs silf, and comparisounen vs silf to vs.

For we schulen not haue glorie ouer mesure, but bi the mesure of the reule which God mesuride to vs, the mesure that stretchith to you.

For we ouerstretchen not forth vs, as not stretchinge to you. For to you we camen in the gospel of Crist,

not gloriynge ouer mesure in othere mennus trauelis. For we `han hope of youre feith that wexith in you to be magnefied bi oure reule in abundaunce,

also to preche in to tho thingis that ben biyendis you, not to haue glorie in othere mennus reule, in these thingis that ben maad redi.

He that glorieth, haue glorie in the Lord.

For not he that comendith hym silf is preuyd, but whom God comendith.

Chapter 11
I wolde that ye wolden suffre a litil thing of myn vnwisdom, but also supporte ye me.

For Y loue you bi the loue of God; for Y haue spousid you to oon hosebonde, to yelde a chast virgyn to Crist.

But Y drede, lest as the serpent disseyuede Eue with his sutil fraude, so youre wittis ben corrupt, and fallen doun fro the symplenesse that is in Crist.

For if he that cometh, prechith anothir Crist, whom we precheden not, or if ye taken another spirit, whom ye token not, or another gospel, which ye resseyueden not, riytli ye schulden suffre.

For Y wene that Y haue don no thing lesse than the grete apostlis.

For thouy Y be vnlerud in word, but not in kunnyng. For in alle thingis Y am open to you.

Or whether Y haue don synne, mekynge my silf, that ye be enhaunsid, for freli Y prechide to you the gospel of God?

Y made nakid othere chirchis, and Y took sowde to youre seruyce.

And whanne Y was among you, and hadde nede, Y was chargeouse to no man; for britheren that camen fro Macedonye, fulfilliden that that failide to me. And in alle thingis Y haue kept, and schal kepe me with outen charge to you.

The treuthe of Crist is in me; for this glorie schal not be brokun in me in the cuntreis of Acaie.

Whi? for Y loue not you?

God woot. For that that Y do, and that Y schal do, is that Y kitte awei the occasioun of hem that wolen occasioun, that in the thing, in which thei glorien, thei be foundun as we.

For siche false apostlis ben trecherouse werk men, and transfiguren hem in to apostlis of Crist.

And no wondur, for Sathanas hym silf transfigurith hym in to an aungel of light.

Therfor it is not greet, if hise mynystris ben transfigurid as the mynystris of riytwisnesse, whos ende schal be aftir her werkis.

Eft Y seie, lest ony man gesse me to be vnwise; ellis take ye me as vnwise, that also Y haue glorie a litil what.

That that Y speke, Y speke not aftir God, but as in vnwisdom, in this substaunce of glorie.

For many men glorien aftir the fleisch, and Y schal glorie.

For ye suffren gladli vnwise men, whanne ye silf ben wise.

For ye susteynen, if ony man dryueth you in to seruage, if ony man deuourith, if ony man takith, if ony man is enhaunsid, if ony man smytith you on the face.

Bi vnnoblei Y seie, as if we weren sike in this parti. In what thing ony man dar, in vnwisdom Y seie, and Y dar.

Thei ben Ebrewis, and Y; thei ben Israelitis, and Y; thei ben the seed of Abraham, and Y;

thei ben the mynystris of Crist, and Y. As lesse wise Y seie, Y more; in ful many trauelis, in prisouns more plenteuousli, in woundis aboue maner, in deethis ofte tymes.

Y resseyuede of the Jewis fyue sithis fourti strokis oon lesse;

thries Y was betun with yerdis, onys Y was stonyd, thries Y was at shipbreche, a nyyt and a dai Y was in the depnesse of the see;

in weies ofte, in perelis of floodis, in perelis of theues, in perelis of kyn, in perelis of hethene men, in perelis in citee, in perelis in desert, in perelis in the see, in perelis among false britheren, in trauel and nedynesse,

in many wakyngis, in hungur, in thirst, in many fastyngis, in coold and nakidnesse.

Withouten tho thingis that ben withoutforth, myn ech daies trauelyng is the bisynesse of alle chirchis.

Who is sijk, and Y am not sijk? who is sclaundrid, and Y am not brent?

If it bihoueth to glorie, Y schal glorie in tho thingis that ben of myn infirmyte.

God and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that is blessid in to worldis, woot that Y lie not.

The preuost of Damask, of the kyng of the folk Arethe, kepte the citee of Damascenes to take me;

and bi a wyndow in a leep Y was latun doun bi the wal, and so Y ascapide hise hondis.

Chapter 12
If it bihoueth to haue glorie, it spedith not; but Y schal come to the visiouns and to the reuelaciouns of the Lord.

I woot a man in Crist that bifore fouretene yeer; whether in bodi, whether out of the bodi, Y woot not, God woot; that siche a man was rauyschid `til to the thridde heuene.

And Y woot sich a man; whether in bodi, or out of bodi, Y noot, God woot;

that he was rauyschid in to paradis, and herde preuy wordis, whiche it is not leueful to a man to speke.

For such maner thingis Y schal glorie; but for me no thing, no but in myn infirmytees.

For if Y schal wilne to glorie, Y schal not be vnwijs, for Y schal seie treuthe; but Y spare, lest ony man gesse me ouer that thing that he seeth in me, or herith ony thing of me.

And lest the greetnesse of reuelaciouns enhaunse me in pride, the pricke of my fleisch, an aungel of Sathanas, is youun to me, that he buffate me.

For whiche thing thries Y preiede the Lord, that it schulde go awei fro me.

And he seide to me, My grace suffisith to thee; for vertu is parfitli maad in infirmyte. Therfor gladli Y schal glorie in myn infirmytees, that the vertu of Crist dwelle in me.

For which thing Y am plesid in myn infirmytees, in dispisyngis, in nedis, in persecuciouns, in anguyschis, for Crist; for whanne Y am sijk, thanne Y am miyti.

Y am maad vnwitti, ye constreyneden me. For Y ouyte to be comendid of you; for Y dide no thing lesse than thei that ben apostlis `aboue maner.

Thouy Y am nouyt, netheles the signes of myn apostilhed ben maad on you, in al pacience, and signes, and grete wondris, and vertues.

And what is it, that ye hadden lesse than othere chirchis, but that Y my silf greuyde you not? Foryyue ye to me this wrong.

Lo! this thridde tyme Y am redi to come to you, and Y schal not be greuous to you; for Y seke not tho thingis that ben youre, but you. For nether sones owen to tresoure to fadir and modir, but the fadir and modir to the sones.

For Y schal yyue moost wilfuli, and Y my silf schal be youun aboue for youre soulis; thouy Y more loue you, and be lesse louyd.

But be it; Y greuyde not you, but whanne Y was sutil, Y took you with gile.

Whether Y disseyuede you bi ony of hem, which Y sente to you?

Y preiede Tite, and Y sente with hym a brother. Whether Tite begilide you? whether we yeden not in the same spirit? whether not in the same steppis?

Sum tyme ye wenen, that we schulen excuse vs anentis you. Bifor God in Crist we speken; and, moost dere britheren, alle thingis for youre edifiyng.

But Y drede, lest whanne Y come, Y schal fynde you not suche as Y wole, and Y schal be foundun of you suche as ye wolen not; lest perauenture stryuyngis, enuyes, sturdynessis, dissenciouns and detraccions, preuy spechis of discord, bolnyngis bi pride, debatis ben among you;

and lest eftsoone whanne Y come, God make me low anentis you, and Y biweile many of hem, that bifor synneden, and diden not penaunce on the vnclennesse, and fornicacioun, and vnchastite, that thei han don.

Chapter 13
Lo! this thridde tyme Y come to you, and in the mouth of tweyne or of thre witnessis euery word schal stonde.

Y seide bifor, and seie bifor, as present twies, and now absent, to hem that bifor han synned, and to alle othere; for if Y come eftsoone, Y schal not spare.

Whether ye seken the preef of that Crist, that spekith in me, which is not feble in you?

For thouy he was crucified of infirmyte, but he lyueth of the vertu of God. For also we ben sijk in hym, but we schulen lyue with him of the vertu of God in vs.

Asaie you silf, if ye ben in the feith; ye you silf preue. Whether ye knowen not you silf, for Crist Jhesu is in you? but in happe ye ben repreuable.

But Y hope, that ye knowen, that we ben not repreuable.

And we preien the Lord, that ye do no thing of yuel; not that we seme preued, but that ye do that that is good, and that we ben as repreuable.

For we moun no thing ayens treuthe, but for the treuthe.

For we ioyen, whanne we ben sijk, but ye ben myyti; and we preien this thing, youre perfeccioun.

Therfor Y absent write these thingis, that Y present do not hardere, bi the powere, which the Lord yaf to me in to edificacioun, and not in to youre distruccioun.

Britheren, `hennus forward ioye ye, be ye perfit, excite ye; vndurstonde ye the same thing; haue ye pees, and God of pees and of loue schal be with you.

Grete ye wel togidere in hooli cos. Alle hooli men greten you wel.

The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, and the charite of God, and the comynyng of the Hooli Gost, be with `you alle. Amen.