The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

LAODICEANS.

[This prologue and the version next following of the epistle to the Laodiceans are only found in mopqrst uwx, and are printed from o.] Here bigynneth a prolog on the pistil to Laodicensis [The prolog to Laodicensis. q. Heere bigynneth the prolog to Laodicenses. t. No initial rubric in mprsuwx.] .

LAODICENSIS ben also Colocenses, as tweye townes and oo peple in maners. These ben of Asie, and among hem hadden be false apostlis, and disceyuede manye. Therfore the postle [apostle mpqrstuwx.] bringith hem to mynde of his conuersacion and trewe preching of the gospel, and excitith hem [Om. m.] to be stidfast in the trewe witt and loue of Crist [Crist Jhesu x.] , and to be of oo wil. `But this pistil [epistle mqstuw.] is not in comyn Latyn bookis, and therfor it was but late translatid into Englisch tunge [This paragraph is omitted in p.] .

Thus endith the prolog, and biginneth the pistil to Laodicensis [Jerom in his prologe on this epistle seith thus. m. Jerom in his prolog seith this. sw. Here endith the prolog, and bigynneth the pistle. u. No final rubric in pqrtx.] .

Here bigynneth the epistle to the Laodicenses, which is not in the canon [From t. No initial rubric in mopqrsux.] .

Poul, apostle [the apostle mt.] , not of men, ne by man, but bi Jhesu Crist, `to the britheren that ben at Laodice, grace to ȝou, and pees of God the [oure rx.] fadir, and of the Lord Jhesu Crist [Om. mtu.] . I do thankyngis to my God bi al my preier, that ȝe be dwelling and lastyng in him, abiding the biheest in the day of doom. For neithir the veyn spek|yng of summe vnwise [of vnwise rx.] men hath lettide ȝou, the whiche wolden turne ȝou fro the treuthe of the gospel, that is prechid of me. And now hem that ben of me, to the profiȝt of truthe [the truthe mt.] of the gospel, God schal make disseruyng, and doyng be|nygnyte of werkis, and helthe [of helthe pqst.] of [and mu.] euerlasting lijf. And now my boondis ben open, which Y suffre [suffrid o.] in Crist Jhesu, in whiche Y glade and ioie. And that [Om. o.] is

to me to euerlastyng helthe, that this same thing be doon by ȝoure preiers, and mynystryng of the Holi Goost, either bi lijf, either bi deeth. Forsothe to me it is lijf to lyue in Crist, and to die ioie. And his mercy schal do in ȝou the [that mqrstux.] same thing, that ȝe moun haue the same loue, and that ȝe be of oo will. Therfore, ȝe weel biloued britheren, holde ȝe, and do ȝe in the dreede of God, as ȝe han herde the presence of me [Ms. u ends here.] ; and lijf schal be to ȝou withouten eende. Sotheli it is God that worchith in ȝou. And, my weel biloued britheren, do ȝe without eny with|drawyng what euer thingis ȝe [that ȝe mpqrstx.] don. Joie ȝe in Crist, and eschewe ȝe men defoulid in [with S.] lucre, `either foul wynnyng [Om. q.] . Be alle ȝoure askyngis [axingis mpqsx.] open anentis God, and be ȝe stidefast in the witt of Crist. And do ȝe tho thingis that ben hool [goode rx.] , and trewe, `and chaast [Om. st.] , and iust, and able to be loued; and kepe ȝe in herte tho thingis that ȝe haue herd and take; and pees schal be to ȝou. Alle holi men greten ȝou weel [Om. S.] . The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist be with ȝoure spirit. And do ȝe that pistil of [Om. X.] Colocensis to be red to ȝou.

Here eendith the pistil to Laodicensis [Heere endith the pistle to Laodicensis, and sueth the prologe on the first epistle to Tessalonicensis. m. Here endith the pistil to Laodisensis, and bigynneth the prologe on the i. pistil to Tessalonicensis. ps. Here endith the pistle to Laodicensis, and bigynneth the prolog. i. Tess. q. Here endith the pistil to Laodisensis, and bigynneth the prologe to the firste Tessalo|nycencis. X. No final rubric in t.] .

[This version of the epistle is taken from w, where alone it has been found.] Poul, apostle, not of men, ne bi man, but bi Jhesu Crist, to the britheren that ben of Laodice, grace to ȝou, and pees of God the fadir, and of the Lord Jhesu Crist. Gracis I do to Crist bi al myn orisoun, that ȝe be dwellinge in him and lastinge, bi the biheest abidinge in the dai of doom. Ne he vnordeynede vs of sum veyn speche feynynge, that vs ouerturne fro the sothfastnesse of the gospel, that of me is prechid. Also now schal God do hem leuynge, and doynge of blessidnesse of werkis, which heelthe of lyf is. And now openli ben my boondis, whiche I suffre in Crist Jhesu, in whiche I glade and ioie. And that is to me heelthe euerlastynge, that that I dide with

oure preieris, and mynystringe the Holy Spirit, bi lijf or bi deeth. It is forsothe to me lijf into Crist, and to die ioie withouten eende. In vs he schal do his merci, that ȝe haue the same louynge, and that ȝe be of o wil. Therfore, derlyngis, as ȝe han herd in presence of me, hold ȝe, and do ȝe in drede of God; and it schal be to ȝou lijf withouten eende. It is forsothe God that worchith in vs. And do ȝe withouten ony withdrawinge, what soeuere ȝe doon. And that it is, derlyngis, ioie ȝe in Crist, and flee ȝe maad foul in clay. Alle ȝoure axingis ben open anentis God, and be ȝe fastned in the witt of Crist. And whiche been hool, and sooth, and chast, and rightwijs, and louable, do ȝe; and whiche herden and take in herte, hold ȝe; and it schal be to ȝou pees. Holi men greeten ȝou weel, in the grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, with the Holi Goost. And do ȝe that pistil of Colosensis to be red to ȝou. Amen.

Here eendith the pistil to Laodicensis, and bigynneth a prolog on the firste pistil to Tessalonicensis.