Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Philipencis

þe Prolog in Philipencis

Philipencis ben men of Macedonye. Þes þe word of treuþe ytake, ſtedefaſtly ſtoode in þe feiþ, neiþir þei token falſe apoſtlis. Þeſe þe apoſtle preiſeþ, wrytinge to hem by Epifrodiþ, fro Rome, out of priſoun.

Here eendiþ þe prologe, and bygynneþ þe epiſtel to þe Philippenſes.

Capitulum I.

Poul and Tymoþe, ſeruauntis of Jheſu Criſt, to alle þe hooly men in Criſt Jheſu, þat ben at Philippis, wiþ biſchopis and dekenes, grace to ȝou and pees of God oure fadir, and of þe Lord Jheſu Criſt. I do þankyngis to my God in al mynde of ȝou euermore in alle my preieris for alle ȝou wiþ ioye, makynge a biſechinge on ȝoure comunynge in þe goſpel of Criſt, fro þe firſte day til now; triſtnynge þis ilke þing, for he þat bigan in ȝou a good work, ſchal performe til into þe day of Jheſu Criſt. As it is iuſt to me for to feele þis þing for alle ȝou, for þat I haue ȝou in herte, and in my boondis, and in defendyng and confermyng of þe goſpel, alle ȝou for to be felowis of my ioye. Forſoþe God is a witneſſe to me, hou I coueite ȝou alle in þe bowelis of Jheſu Criſt. And þis þing I preye, þat ȝoure charite be plenteuous more and more in ſcience, or kunnynge, and in al witt; þat ȝe proue bettere þingis, þat ȝe be clene and wiþoute offence in þe day of Criſt; fulfillid wiþ þe fruyt of riȝtwyſneſſe by Jheſu Criſt, into þe heriynge and glorie of God. Forſoþ, briþeren, I wole ȝow for to wite, þat þe þingis þat ben aboute me han comyn more to þe profyte of þe goſpel, ſo þat my boondis weren maad knowun in Criſt, in ech moot halle, and in alle oþere placis; þat mo of briþeren in þe Lord triſtenynge in my boondis, more plenteuouſly durſten wiþ oute drede ſpeke þe word of God. Summe forſoþ and for enuye and ſtryf, ſumme forſoþ and for good wille, prechen Criſt; ſumme forſoþ of charite, witinge for I am putt in þe defence of þe goſpel. Forſoþ ſumme of contencioun, or ſtryf, ſchewen Criſt not clenly, geſſinge hem for to reyſe preſſure to my boondis. What ſoþly? þe while in al maner, eþer by contencioun, eþer by treuþe, Criſt is ſchewid; and in þis þing I haue ioye, but and in þis þing I ſchal haue ioye. Soþli I woot, þat þis þing ſchal come to me into heelþe by ȝoure preier, and þe vndirmyniſtringe of þe ſpirit of Jheſu Criſt, vp myn abidyng and hope. For in no þing I ſchal be confoundid, or ſchamed, but in al triſt as euermore and now, Criſt ſchal be magnyfied in my body, eþer by lyf, eþer by deeþ. Forſoþe to me for to lyue Criſt is, and for to deie wynnyng. Þat if for to lyue in fleiſch, þis is fruyt of work to me, and what I ſchal cheeſe, I knowe not. Forſoþ I am conſtreyned of twey þingis, hauynge deſyr for to be diſſolued, or departid þe ſoule fro body, and for to be wiþ Criſt, it is moche more bettere; forſoþ for to dwelle in fleiſch, it is nedeful for ȝou. And I triſtinge þis þing, wot þat I ſchal dwelle, and parfitly dwelle to alle ȝou, to ȝoure profyit and ioye of feiþ, þat ȝoure þankyng habounde in Criſt Jheſu in me, by my comynge eftſoone to ȝou. Oonly lyue ȝe worþily to þe goſpel of Criſt, þat where I ſchal come and ſe ȝou, eþer abſent I ſchal heere of ȝou, for ȝe ſtonden in o ſpirit of o wille, trauelinge to gidere to þe feiþ of þe goſpel. And in no þing be ȝe aferd of aduerſaries, þe which is to hem cauſe of perdicioun, or of damnacioun; forſoþ to ȝou cauſe of heelþe. And þis þing of God. For it is ȝouun to ȝou for Criſt, þat not oonly ȝe bileuen in to him, but alſo þat ȝe ſuffren for him; hauynge þe ſame ſtryf, what maner and ȝe ſyȝen in me, and now ȝe han herd of me.

Capitulum II.

Therfore if ony comfort in Criſt, if ony ſolace of charite, if ony felowſchip of ſpirit, if ony entraylis of mercy doynge, fulfille ȝe my ioye, þat ȝe vndirſtonde þe ſame þing, hauynge þe ſame charite, of o wille, feelinge þe ſame þing; noþing by ſtryf, neþer by veyn glorie, but in mekeneſſe, demynge hiȝere to hem ſilf to gidere, or ech holdinge oþere hiȝer in vertu; not ech by him ſilf biholdinge what þingis ben her owne, but þo þingis þat ben of oþere. Forſoþe feele ȝe þis þing in ȝou, þe which and in Criſt Jheſu; þe which whanne he was in þe foorme of God, demyde not raueyn, him ſilf for to be euene to God; but he lowyde him ſilf, takynge þe foorme of a ſeruaunt, into lykneſſe of men maad, and in habyt founden as a man. He mekede him ſilf, maad obedient til to þe deeþ, forſoþ to þe deeþ of croſſ. For which þing and God enhauncide him, and ȝaf to him a name þat is aboue al name; þat in þe name of Jheſu ech kne be bowid, of heuenly þingis and erþely, and of hellis; and ech tunge knowleche, for þe Lord Jheſu Criſt is in þe glorie of God þe fadir. And ſo, my mooſte dereworþe, as euermore ȝe han obeiſchid, not in my preſence oonly, but moche more now in myn abſence, worche ȝe wiþ drede and tremblinge ȝoure heelþe. Forſoþ it is God þat worchiþ in ȝou, and for to wille, and for to perfoorme, for good wille. Forſoþ do ȝe alle þingis wiþouten grucchingis and doutyngis; þat ȝe be wiþoute pleynt, and þe ſymple ſones of God, wiþoute reprof, in þe myddel of a ſchrewid nacioun and weyward; among whom ȝe ſchynen as ȝyueris of liȝt in þe world; holdynge to gidere þe word of lyf to my glorie in þe day of Criſt; for I haue not runnen in veyn, neþer in veyn trauelid. But and if I be offrid, or ſlayn, vpon þe ſacrifice and ſeruyce of ȝoure feiþ, I haue ioye, and to gidere þank ȝou alle. Þe ſame þing forſoþe and ȝe haue ioye, and to gidere þanke me. Forſoþ I hope in þe Lord Jheſu, me for to ſende Tymoþe ſoone to ȝou, þat and I be in good ynwitt, or gladneſſe, þo þingis knowun þat ben at ȝou. Forſoþe I haue no man ſo of o wille, or acoord, þat is biſy for ȝou wiþ clene affeccioun, or deſyre. Forſoþ alle men ſeken þo þingis þat ben her owne, not þo þat ben of Criſt Jheſu. Forſoþ knowe ȝe þe aſſay of him, for as a ſone to þe fadir he ſeruyde wiþ me in þe goſpel. Forſoþe I hope me for to ſende hym to ȝou, a noon as I ſchal ſe what þingis ben abowte me. Soþely in þe Lord I triſte, for and I my ſilf ſchal come to ȝou ſoone. Forſoþe I geſſide it nedeful for to ſende to ȝou Epaphrodite, my broþer and euene worchere, and myn euene knyȝt, forſoþe ȝoure apoſtle, and þe mynyſtre of my nede. For ſoþely he deſyride ȝou alle, and he was ſorwful, for þat and ȝe herden him maad ſyk. Forwhi and he was maad ſyk to þe deeþ, but God hadde mercy on hym; forſoþ not oonly on hym, but alſo and on me, leſt I hadde heuyneſſe vpon heuyneſſe. Þerfore more haſtely I ſente hym, þat him ſeyn, eft ȝe haue ioye, and I be wiþoute heuyneſſe. And ſo reſceyue ȝe him wiþ al ioye in þe Lord, and haue ȝe ſuch maner men wiþ honour. Forwhi for þe work of Criſt til to deeþ he wente, ȝyuynge his ſoule, þat is, lyf, þat he ſchulde fulfille þat þat faylide to ȝou anentis my ſeruyſe.

Capitulum III.

Hennus forward, my briþeren, haue ȝe ioye in þe Lord. For to write to ȝou þe ſame þingis, forſoþ to me not ſlow, forſoþ to ȝou neceſſarie. Se ȝe houndis, ſe ȝe yuel workmen, ſe ȝe dyuiſioun. Soþli we ben circumciſioun, þat bi ſpirit ſeruen to God, and glorien in Criſt Jheſu, and not hauynge triſt in þe fleiſch, þouȝ I haue triſt and in þe fleiſch. If ony oþer man is ſeyn for to triſte in fleiſch, I more, circumſidid in þe eiȝtiþ day, of þe kyn of Iſrael, of þe lynage of Beniamyn, an Ebrew of Ebrews, vp þe lawe a Phariſe, vp loue purſuwinge þe chirche of God, vp riȝtwyſneſſe þat is in þe lawe lyuynge wiþoute pleynt. But whiche þingis weren to me wynnyngis, I haue demyde þeſe peiringis for Criſt. Neþeles I geſſe alle þingis for to be peyrement for þe cleer ſcience of Jheſu Criſt. For whom I made alle þingis peirement, and I deme as toordis, þat I wynne Criſt, and þat I be foundyn in him, not hauynge my riȝtwyſneſſe þat is of þe lawe, but þat þat is of þe feiþ of Criſt, þat is of God riȝtwyſneſſe in feiþ, for to knowe him, and þe vertu of his ryſinge aȝen, and þe felowſchip of his paſſioun, I configurid, or made lyk, to his deeþ, if on ony maner I ſchal come, or renne aȝens, to þe reſurreccioun þat is of deede men. Not þat now I haue takun, or now am parfyit; forſoþ I ſue, if on ony maner I ſchal comprehende, and in what þing I am comprehendid of Criſt Jheſu. Breþeren, I deme me not for to haue comprehendid; o þing forſoþe, I forȝetinge ſoþli þo þingis þat ben bihyndis, ſtrecchinge my ſilf forſoþ to þo þingis þat ben þe formere, to þe ordeyned þing, purſue to þe pris of þe hiȝe cleping of God in Criſt Jheſu. Þerefore who euere we ben parfyt, feele we þis þing. And if ȝe vndirſtonden oþir maner ony þing, and þat þing God ſchal ſchewe to ȝou. Neþeles to what þing we han comen, þat we vndirſtonde þe ſame þing, and þat we parfytli dwelle in þe ſame reule. Briþeren, be ȝe my foloweris, and wayte ȝe hem þat walken ſo, as ȝe han oure foorme. Forſoþ manye walken, whom I haue ſeide oft to ȝou, forſoþ now and I wepinge ſeie, þe enemyes of Criſtis croſſ, whos ende deeþ, or periſching, whos god is þe wombe, and glorie in confuſioun of hem, þat ſaueren, or vndirſtonden, erþeli þingis. Forſoþ oure lyuynge is in heuenes; wher of alſo we abyden þe ſauyour oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þe which ſchal refoorme þe body of oure mekeneſſe, configurid, or maad lyk, to þe body of his cleerneſſe, vp þe worchinge by which he may alſo make alle þingis ſuget to hym.

Capitulum IIII.

And ſo, my briþeren mooſt dereworþe and mooſt deſyrid, my ioye and my crowne, ſo ſtonde ȝe in þe Lord, mooſt dere briþeren. I preie Eucodiam, and I biſech Synteſem, for to vndirſtonde þe ſame þing in þe Lord. Alſo and I preie þee, german felowe, helpe þou þe ilke wymmen þat traueliden wiþ me in þe goſpel, wiþ Clement and oþere my helperis, whos names ben in þe book of lyf. Ioye ȝe in þe Lord euer more; eft I ſeie, ioye ȝe. Be ȝoure temperaunce, or pacience, knowun to alle men; þe Lord is nyȝ. Be ȝe no þing biſy, but in al preier and biſeching, wiþ doynge of þankingis, be ȝoure axingis knowun at God. And þe pees of God, þat paſſiþ al witt, kepe ȝoure hertis and vndirſtondingis in Criſt Jheſu oure Lord. Fro hennus forþ, briþeren, what euere þingis ben ſoþe, what euere þingis chaſt, what euere þingis iuſt, what euere þingis hooly, what euere þingis amyable, or able for to be loued, what euere þingis of good fame, if ony vertu, if ony preiſinge of diſciplyn, þenke ȝe þeſe þingis, þat and ȝe han lerud, and take, and herd, and ſeyn in me. Do ȝe þeſe þingis, and God of pees ſchal be wiþ ȝou. Forſoþ, briþeren, I ioyede greetly in þe Lord, for ſumtyme aftirward ȝe flouriden aȝen for to feele for me, as and ȝe feeliden. Forſoþ ȝe weren ocupied, I ſeie not as for nede, forſoþ I haue lerud, in whiche þingis I am, ſufficient for to be. I can and be lowid, or mekid, I can and abounde, or haue plente. Euery where and in alle þingis I am ordeyned, and I can be fulfillid, and to hungre, and to habounde, and to ſuffre myſeſte. I may alle þingis in him þat comfortiþ me. Neþeles ȝe han don wel, comunynge to my tribulacioun. Forſoþ and ȝe, Philipencis, witen, þat in þe bigynnyng of þe goſpel, whanne I wente forþ fro Macedonye, no chirche comunede wiþ me in reſoun of þing ȝouun and takun, no but ȝe allone. For and to Teſſalonyk ȝe ſenten oonis and twyes in to vſſ to me. Not for I ſeke ȝifte, but I requyre, or ſeke aȝen, fruyt haboundynge in ȝoure reſoun. Forſoþ I haue alle þingis, and habounde; I am repleet wiþ þo þingis takun of Epafrodite, þe which ȝe ſente into þe odour of ſwetneſſe, a couenable ooſt, or ſacrifice, pleſynge to God. Forſoþ my God fulfille al ȝoure deſyr, vp his richeſſis in glorie in Criſt Jheſu. Forſoþ to God and oure fadir be glorie into worldis of worldis. Amen. Greete ȝe wel euery hooly man in Criſt Jheſu. Þo briþeren þat ben wiþ me, greeten ȝou wel. Alle hooli men greeten ȝou wel, mooſt ſoþli þo þat ben of Ceſaris hous. Þe grace of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt be wiþ ȝoure ſpirit. Amen.

Here endiþ þe epiſtle to Philipenſis, and bigynneþ prolog to Colocencis.