Bible (Early Wycliffe)/I. Teſſalonycenſes

Prolog to Þe firſt piſtle to Teſſalonycenſis

Teſſalonycenſis ben men of Macedonya. Þes þe word of treuþe takun, ſtooden perfytly in þe feiþ, and þanne in purſuynge of her citeſeyns; ferþermore alſo þei reſſeyueden not falſe apoſtlis, neþir þe ilke þingis þat weren ſeid of falſe apoſtlis. Þeſe þe apoſtle preiſiþ, writinge to hem fro Aþenis, by Tyte and Oneſym.

Ende of prolog; bigynnyng þe firſte piſtle.

Capitulum I.

Poul, apoſtle, and Siluan, and Tymoþe, to þe chirche of Teſſalonycenſis, in God, oure fadir, and þe Lord Jheſu Criſt, grace to ȝou, and pees. We don þankingis to God euermore for alle ȝou, makinge mynde of ȝou in oure preieris wiþoute ceeſſynge; we myndeful of ȝoure werk of feiþ, and traueil, and charite, and ſuſteynyng of þe hope of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, bifore þe Lord and oure fadir. We witynge, ȝe mooſt loued briþeren of þe Lord, ȝoure cheſyng; for oure goſpel was not at ȝou in word oonli, but in vertu, and in þe Hooly Gooſt, and in moche plente; as ȝe witen, what maner men we weren in ȝou for ȝou; and ȝe ben maad oure foloweris, and of þe Lord, reſceyuynge þe word in moche tribulacioun, wiþ ioye of þe Hooly Gooſt; ſo þat ȝe ben maad fourme, or enſaumple, to alle men bileuynge, in Macedonye and in Achaye. Forſoþ of ȝou þe word of þe Lord is defamyd, or moche told, not oonly in Macedonye and Achaye, but in ech place ȝoure feiþ þat is to God, is parfyt; ſo þat it is not nede for to ſpeke to ȝou ony þing. Forſoþ þei ſchewen of ȝou, what maner entre we hadden to ȝou, and hou ȝe ben conuertid to God fro ſymylacris, for to ſerue to quyk God and very; and for to abide his ſone fro heuenes, whom he reiſyde fro deede men, Jheſu, þat delyuerede vs fro wraþþe to comynge.

Capitulum II.

Forwhi ȝe witen, briþeren, oure entre to ȝou, for it was not veyn; but firſt we ſuffrid, and punyſchid wiþ wrongis, or fals reprouyng, as ȝe witen in Philippis, hadden truſt in oure Lord, for to ſpeke to ȝou þe goſpel of God in moche byſyneſſe. Soþli oure exortacioun, or techinge, not of errour, neþer of vnclenneſſe, neþer in gile, but as we ben proued of God, þat þe goſpel ſchulde be takyn to vs, ſo we ſpeken; not as pleſynge to men, but to God þat proueþ oure hertis. Forſoþ neþir we weren ony tyme in word of gloſyng, as ȝe witen, neþer in occaſioun of auarice; God is witneſſe; neþir ſekinge glorie of men, neþir of ȝou, neþir of oþere, whanne we myȝten be to charge to ȝou, as Criſtis apoſtelis. But we ben maad litle in þe myddil of ȝou, as if a noryſe foſtre hir ſones; ſo we deſyringe ȝou coueityngly, or wiþ greet loue, wolden bitake to ȝou, not oonly þe goſpel of God, but alſo oure ſoules, or lyues, for ȝe ben maad to vs mooſt dereworþe. Forſoþe, briþeren, ȝe ben myndeful of oure traueil and weryneſſe; nyȝt and day we worchinge, þat we ſchulden not greue ony of ȝou, prechiden in ȝou þe euangelie of God. Ȝe ben witneſſis, and God, how hoolily, and iuſtli, and wiþouten querel, or pleynt, to ȝou þat bileueden, we weren. As ȝe witen, how ech of ȝou, as þe fadir his ſones, preiynge and comfortynge ȝou, we han witneſſid, þat ȝe ſchulden go worþili to God, þat clepide ȝou into his kyngdom and glorie. Þerfore and we don þankingis to God wiþ oute ceeſſinge. For whanne ȝe hadden takun of vs þe word of þe heringe of God, ȝe token it not as þe word of men, but as it is verily, þe word of God, þat worchiþ in ȝou þat han bileued. Soþli, briþeren, ȝe ben maad foloweris of þe chirchis of God, þat ben in Judee, in Criſt Jheſu, for and ȝe han ſuffrid þe ſame þinges of ȝoure euene lynagis, as and þei of Jewis. Þe whiche ſlowen and þe Lord Jheſu and þe prophetis, and purſuwen vs, and þei pleſen not to God, and to alle men þei ben aduerſaries; forbedinge vs for to ſpeke to heþen men, þat þe heþen men be maad ſaaf, þat þei fulfille her ſynnes euermore; forſoþ þe wraþþe of God bifore cam vpon hem til into þe ende. Forſoþ, briþeren, we deſolat fro ȝou at þe tyme of an hour, in bihooldynge, not in herte, more plenteuouſly han hiȝed for to ſe ȝoure face wiþ greet deſyr. For we wolden come to ȝou, ſoþeli I Poul, and oones and eftſoone, but Saþanas lettide vs. Soþli what is oure hope, or ioye, or crowne of glorie? Wher ȝe ben not bifore oure Lord Jheſu Criſt in his comynge? Forſoþ ȝe ben oure glorie and ioye.

Capitulum III.

For which þing we ſuſteynynge no lengere, it pleſide to vs for to dwelle at Aþenis aloone; and ſenten Tymoþe, oure broþer, and myniſtre of God in þe euangelie of Criſt, to ȝou, for to be confermyd, and tauȝt, or moneſtid, for ȝoure feiþ, þat no man be moued in þes tribulaciouns. Soþely ȝe ſilf witen, þat in þis þing we ben putt. Forwhi and whanne we weren at ȝou, we bifore ſeyden to ȝou, vs to ſuffre tribulaciouns; as and it is don, and ȝe witen. Þerfore and I Poul, not ſuſteynynge, or abidynge, more, ſente for to knowe ȝoure feiþ, leſt perauenture he þat temptiþ ſchal tempte ȝou, and oure traueil be maad veyn. Now forſoþ Tymoþe comynge to vs fro ȝou, and tellinge to vs ȝoure feiþ and charite, and for ȝe han euermore good mynde of vs, deſyringe for to ſe vs, as we alſo ȝou; þerfore, briþeren, we ben comfortid in ȝou, in al oure nede and tribulacioun, by ȝoure feiþ. For now we lyuen, if ȝe ſtonden in þe Lord. Soþli what doynge of þankyngis mown we ȝelde to God for ȝou, in al ioye, in which we ioyen for ȝou bifore oure Lord? nyȝt and day more plenteuouſly preiynge, þat we ſe ȝoure face, and fulfille þo þingis þat failen of ȝoure feiþ. Forſoþe þe ſame God oure fadir, and þe Lord Jheſu Criſt, dreſſe oure wey to ȝou. Forſoþe þe Lord multiplye ȝou, and make ȝoure charite for to habounde in to gidere, and into alle, as and we in ȝou; to ȝoure hertis to be confermyd wiþ outen pleynt in hoolyneſſe, bifore God and oure fadir, in þe comynge of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt wiþ alle his ſeyntis. Amen.

Capitulum IIII.

Therfore, briþeren, hennis forþward we preyen ȝou, and biſeche in þe Lord Jheſu, þat as ȝe han reſceyued of vs how it bihoueþ ȝou for to go and pleſe to God, ſo and walke ȝe, þat ȝe habounde more. Soþely ȝe wyten what comaundementis I haue ȝouun to ȝou by þe Lord Jheſu. Forſoþ þis is þe wille of God, ȝoure makinge hooly, þat ȝe abſteyne ȝou fro fornycacioun. Þat ech of ȝou kunne welde his veſſel in makynge hooly, or hoolyneſſe, and honour; not in paſſioun of deſyr, as and heþen men þat knowen not God. And þat no man ouergo, neþer diſſeyue his broþer in cauſe, or nede. For þe Lord is venger of alle þes þingis, as we bifore ſeiden to ȝou, and han witneſſid, or prouyd by autorite. Soþli God clepide not vs into vnclenneſſe, but into hoolyneſſe. And ſo he þat diſpiſiþ þes þingis, diſpiſiþ not man, but God, þat ȝaf his hooly ſpirit in vs. Forſoþe of þe charite of briþerhed we hadden not nede for to wryte to ȝou; ſoþli ȝe ſilf han lerud of God, þat ȝe loue to gidere; and forſoþe ȝe don þat into alle briþeren in al Macedonye. Forſoþe, briþeren, we preyen ȝou, þat ȝe habounde more; and ȝyue werk, or biſyneſſe, þat ȝe be quyet, and do ȝoure nede, þat ȝe worche wiþ ȝoure hondis, as we han comaundid to ȝou; and þat ȝe wandre honeſtly to hem þat ben wiþouteforþ, þat of no mannis ȝe deſyre ony þing. Forſoþ, briþeren, we wolen not ȝou for to vnknowe of men ſlepynge, or deiynge, þat ȝe ben not ſorwful, as and oþere þat han not hope. Soþli if we bileuen, þat Jheſus was deed, and roos aȝen, ſo and God ſchal lede wiþ him hem þat ſlepten, or deieden, by Jheſu. Soþeli þis þing we ſeien to ȝou in þe word of þe Lord, for we þat lyuen, þat ben reſidue, or left, in þe comynge of þe Lord, ſchulen not come bifore hem þat ſlepten, or deieden. For he þe Lord ſchal come down fro heuene, in þe comaundyng, and in þe voys of archaungel, and in þe trumpe of God; and þe deede men þat ben in Criſt, ſchulen ryſe aȝen firſt. Aftirward we þat lyuen, þat ben left, ſchulen be rauyſchid to gidere wiþ hem in cloudis, meetynge to Criſt into þe eyr; and ſo euermore we ſchulen be wiþ þe Lord. And ſo be ȝe comfortid to gidere in þes wordis.

Capitulum V.

Forſoþ, briþeren, of tymes and momentis ȝe neden not þat I write to ȝou. Alſo ȝe ſilf diligentli witen, for þe day of þe Lord, as a þeef in nyȝt, ſo ſchal come. Soþli whanne þei ſchulen ſeye pees and ſikurneſſe, þanne ſudeyn periſchinge, or deeþ, ſchal come aboue to hem, as ſorwe to a womman beringe child, and þei ſchulen not ſcape. Forſoþ, briþeren, ȝe ben not in derkneſſis, þat þe ilke day as a þeef catche ȝou. Soþli alle ȝe ben þe ſones of lyȝt, and ſones of day; we ben not of nyȝt, neþir of derkneſſis. Þerfore ſlepe we not as and oþere; but wake, and be we ſobre. Forſoþ þei þat ſlepen, ſlepen in þe nyȝt, and þei þat ben drunken, ben drunken in nyȝt. Forſoþ we þat ben of þe day, ben ſobre, cloþid þe haburioun of feiþ and charite, and þe helm, hope of heelþe. For God puttide not vs into wraþþe, but into þe purchaſyng of heelþe by oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þat was deed for vs; þat where we waken, where we ſlepen, we lyue to gidere wiþ him. For which þing be ȝe comfortid to gidere, and edifie ȝe ech oþir, as and ȝe don. Forſoþ, briþeren, we preien ȝou, þat ȝe ſchulen knowe hem þat trauelen among ȝou, and ben bifore to ȝou in þe Lord, and moneſten, or techen, ȝou, þat ȝe haue hem more haboundantli in charite; for þe work of hem, haue ȝe pees wiþ hem. Forſoþ, briþeren, we preien ȝou, reproue, or chaſtyſe, ȝe vnquyete men. Comforte ȝe men of litil herte, reſceyue ȝe ſyke men, be ȝe pacient to alle men. Se ȝe, þat no man ȝelde yuel for yuel; but euermore ſue ȝe þat þat is good, to gidere and into alle men. Euermore ioye ȝe; wiþ oute ceeſſynge preie ȝe; in alle þingis do ȝe þankyngis. Forſoþe þis is þe wille of God in Criſt Jheſu, and in alle ȝou. Nyle ȝe quenche þe ſpirit; nyle ȝe diſpiſe prophecies. Forſoþ proue ȝe alle þingis, holde ȝe þat þing þat is good. Abſteyne ȝou fro al yuel ſpice, or likneſſe. Forſoþe þe ſame God of pees make ȝou hooly by alle þingis, þat ȝoure ſpirit be kept hool, and ſoule, and body, wiþ oute playnt, in þe comynge of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt. God is trewe, þat clepide ȝou, þe which alſo ſchal do. Briþeren, preie ȝe for vs. Greete ȝe wel alle briþeren in hooly coſſ. I coniure ȝou by þe Lord, þat þis piſtle be rad to alle hooly briþeren. Þe grace of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt be wiþ ȝou alle. Amen.

Here endiþ þe firſte piſtle to Teſſalonycenſis, and bigynneþ þe prologe to þe ſecunde piſtle.