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

CAP. VII.

[verse 1] And the prynce [princis b.] of prestis seide to Steuene, Whethir these thingis han hem so? [verse 2] Which [The whyche I.] seide, Britheren and fadris, here ȝe. God of glorie apperide to oure fadir Abraham, whanne he was in Me|sopotamie, bifor that he dwelte in Car|ram, and seide to hym, Go out of thi [verse 3] loond, and of thi kynrede, and come in to the loond, which Y schal schewe to thee. [verse 4] Thanne he wente out of the loond of Caldeis, and dwelte in Carram. And fro thens aftir that his fader was deed, he translatide him in to this loond, in which ȝe dwellen now. [verse 5] And he ȝaf not to [Om. k.] hym eritage in it, nethir a paas of a [oo R.] foot, but he bihiȝte to ȝyue hym it in to

possessioun, and to his seed aftir hym, whanne he hadde not a sone. [verse 6] And God spak to hym, That his seed schal be com|ling [ether gest K marg.] in an alien lond, and thei schulen make hem suget to seruage, and schulen yuel trete hem, foure hundrid ȝeris and [verse 7] thritti; and Y schal iuge the folk, to which [whom I.] thei schulen serue, seith the Lord. And after these thingis thei schulen go out, and thei schulen serue to me in this place. [verse 8] And he ȝaf to hym the testament of circumcisioun; and so he gendride Ysaac, and circumcidide [circumcide b.] hym in the eiȝt [eiȝtthe EIKcegoαβ.] dai. And Isaac gendride Jacob, and Jacob gendride the twelue patri|arkis. [verse 9] And the patriarkis hadden enuye to Joseph, and selden hym in to Egipt. [verse 10] And God was with hym, and delyuerede hym [Om. Q pr. m.] of alle hise tribulaciouns, and ȝaf to [Om. K pr. m.] hym grace and wisdom in the siȝt of Farao, king of Egipt. And he ordeyn|ede hym souereyn on Egipt, and on al his hous. [verse 11] And hungur cam in to al Egipt, and Canaan, and greet tribula|cioun; and oure fadris founden not mete. [verse 12] But whanne Jacob hadde herd, that whete was in Egipt, he sente oure fadris first. [verse 13] And in the secounde tyme Joseph was knowun of hise britheren, and his kyn was maad [Om. R pr. m.] knowun to Farao. [verse 14] And Joseph sente, and clepide Jacob, his fadir, and al his kynrede, seuenti and fyue men. [verse 15] And Jacob cam doun in to Egipt, [verse 16] and was deed, he [Om. Ak pr. m.] and oure fadris; and thei weren translatid in to Sichen, and weren leid in the sepulcre, that Abra|ham bouȝte bi prijs of siluer of [and of gk pr. m.] the [Om. gk.] sones of Emor, the sone of Sichen. [verse 17] And whanne the tyme of biheeste cam niȝ, which God hadde knoulechid to Abra|ham, the puple waxede, and multipliede [verse 18] in Egipt, til another kyng roos in Egipt,

which knewe not Joseph. [verse 19] This [And this k.] bigilide oure kyn, and turmentide oure fadris, that thei schulden putte awey her ȝonge children, for thei schulden not lyue. [verse 20] In the same tyme Moyses was borun, and he was louyd of God; and he was no|rischid thre monethis in the hous of his fadir. [verse 21] And whanne he was put out in the flood, the douȝter of Farao took hym vp, and nurischide hym in to hir sone. [verse 22] And Moises was lerned in al the wisdom of Egipcians, and he was myȝti in [and b.] his wordis and werkis [in hise werkis K.] . [verse 23] But whanne the tyme of fourti ȝeer [ȝeeris R.] was fillid to hym, it roos vp `in to [in g pr. m. o. to k pr. m.] his herte, that he schulde visite hise britheren, the sones of Israel. [verse 24] And whanne he say a man suffringe wronge, he vengide hym, and dide ven|iaunce for hym that suffride the [Om. K pr. m. Rab pr. m. α.] wronge, and he [Om. Ib pr. m.] killide the Egipcian. [verse 25] For he gesside that his britheren [he gesside that hise bri|thern; that is, Ebreus. ȝeuen to hem helthe; for God hadde enspyrid thanne to Moi|ses, that he schulde bi Moi|ses delyuere the puple fro the seruage of Egipt. And so he was ordeyn|ed thanne of God to be kepere and de|fendere of the puple; wher|fore he synnede not, in doinge that veniaunce. And this parti|cular delyuer|aunce was singne and fi|gure of the ge|neral delyuer|aunce of al the puple, that schulde be maad bi the hond of Moises, fourti ȝeer fro the tyme of his fleing fro Egipt. V. an angel ap|peride to him; it is seid in ȝ. c^o. of Exodi, that God apperide to him, in treuthe it was an aun|gel, as it is seid here, but for he representide the persone of God, and spac in the persone of God, therfore sum|tyme he is nemyd God, and sumtyme an aungel. Lire here. ve.] schulden vn|durstonde, that God schulde ȝyue to hem helthe bi the hoond of hym; but thei vndurstoden not. [verse 26] For in [Om. k pr. m.] the dai su|ynge he apperide to hem chidinge, and he acordide hem in pees, and seide, Men, ȝe ben britheren; whi noyen ȝe ech othere? [verse 27] But he that dide the wronge to his neiȝbore, puttide hym awey, and seide, Who ordeynede thee prince and domesman on vs? [verse 28] Whethir thou wolt sle me, as ȝistirdai thou killidist the [Om. I.] Egipcian? [verse 29] And in this word Moises flei, and was maad [Om. R pr. m.] a comeling in the loond of Madian, where he bigat twei sones. [verse 30] And whanne he hadde fillid fourti ȝeer, an aungel apperide to hym in fier of flawme [in fijer of flaume, etc.; the aungel ap|peride in the licnesse of fijer brennyng, but not wastinge, to singnefie that the puple of Is|rael schulde not be waastid in the tribulacioun of Egipt, but be purgid. vn|bynde [do of e] the schoon, etc.; it was the custom of elde men, and most of Ebreys, to entre not into hooly placis while thei weren schood. And Zarazenes usen this ȝit. Ve. with the hond; that is, power of the aungel, and so Moises was a mynystre ioyned to him. V. wordis of lijf; the ten heestis ben seid wordis of lijf, not for tho brouȝten lijf of grace iustefyinge, as it is seid in 4 c^o. to Romayns, A man is not iustified bi the werkis of lawe, Lire here. Ve. bi riȝtfulnesse that makith worthi to euerlasting lijf, thouȝ tho iustifieden bi temporal riȝtfulnesse; for thei that kepten the comaundementis, runnen not in to temporal deth, that was ȝouen to brekeris of the lawe. maden a calf; for thei constreyneden Aaron to make it. Lire here. v.] of a buysch, in desert of the mount of Syna. [verse 31] And Moises siȝ, and

wondride on the siȝt. And whanne he neiȝede to biholde, the vois of the Lord [verse 32] was maad to hym, and seide, Y am God of ȝoure fadris, God of Abraham, God of Ysaac, God of Jacob. Moises was maad tremblynge, and durste not biholde. [verse 33] But God seide to hym, Do of [ether vnbinde K marg.] the schoon of thi feet, for the place in which thou stondist is hooli erthe. [verse 34] Y seynge say [se k.] the turmentyng of my puple that is in Egipt, and Y herde the mornyng of hem, and Y [Om. b.] cam doun to delyuere hem. And now come thou, and Y schal sende thee in to Egipt. [verse 35] This Moises whom thei denyeden, seiynge, Who ordeynede thee prince and domesman on vs? God sente [sende AC.] this prince and aȝenbiere, with the hoond of the aungel, that apperide to hym in the busch. [verse 36] This Moises ledde hem out, and dide wondris and signes in the loond of Egipt, and in the reed see, and in desert fourti ȝeeris. [verse 37] This is Moises, that seide to the sones of Israel, God schal reise to ȝou a profete of ȝoure bretheren, as me ȝe schulen here him. [verse 38] This it is, that was in the chirche in wildirnesse, with the aungel that spak to hym in the mount of [Om. ceteri.] Syna, and with oure fadris; which took words of lijf to ȝyue to vs. [verse 39] To whom oure fadris wolden not obeie, but puttiden hym awei, and weren turn|ed [verse 40] awei in hertis [her hertis X sec. m.] in to Egipt, seiynge to Aaron, Make thou to vs goddis, that schulen go bifore vs; for to this Moyses that ledde vs out of the lond of Egipt, we witen not what is don to hym. [verse 41] And thei maden a calf in tho daies, and offriden a sacrifice to the mawmet; and thei weren glad in the werkis of her hondis. [verse 42] And God turnede [God turnede, etc.; that is, suffride hem to be turned, and to be taken of fendis, for the malice of the puple. to serue to the kniȝthod, etc.; it is not red, that this was don in the tyme in which thei weren in desert, but aftir that thei en|triden into the lond of biheest. in the book of profetis; that is, of 12. pro|fetis, which is oo book. Lire here. ve.] , and [Om. k pr. m.] bitook hem to serue to the knyȝthod of heuene, as it is writun in the book of profetis,

Whether ȝe, hous of Israel, offriden to me slayn sacrificis, ether sacrificis [sacrifice K pr. m. sacrificis of oostis gkα.] , fourti ȝeris [ȝeer IQgk.] in desert? [verse 43] And ȝe han take the tabernacle of Moloc, and the sterre of ȝoure god Renfam, figuris that ȝe han maad to worschipe hem; and Y schal translate ȝou in to Babiloyn. [verse 44] The ta|bernacle of witnessing was with oure [ȝoure gk pr. m.] fadris in desert, as God disposide to hem, and spak to Moyses, that he schulde make it aftir the fourme that he say. [verse 45] Which also oure fadris token with Jhesu [Jhesu, that was Josue C marg. Naue k sec. m. marg.] , and brouȝten in to the [Om. K pr. m.] possessioun of hethene men, whiche God puttide awey fro the face of oure fadris, til in to [Om. EKQRbcegkoβ.] the [verse 46] daies of Dauid, that fonde grace anentis God, and axide [askide O.] that he schulde fynde a tabernacle to God of Jacob. [verse 47] But Sa|lomon bildide the hous `to hym [Om. K pr. m.] . [verse 48] But the hiȝ God dwellith not in thingis maad [verse 49] bi hoond [the hiȝe God dwellith not in thingis maad bi hond; for he is vncompre|hensible, and of goostly kinde; he seith this, to put awey the er|rour of summe Jewis, whiche gessiden that God dwellide in the temple, as a man dwell|ith in his hous. heuene is a seete to me; this is a figuratif speche, to singnefie that God is present euery where, in he|uene and in erthe; for he hath no mem|bris of body. Ve. what hous schu|len ȝe bilde to me; to dwelle in maner bifore seid; as if he seide, noon. What place of my resting; as if he seide, noon othir than I myself, for whi God rest|ith in himself, for he blisful bi himself, but oonly herto, that offringe of preiers and of sacrifices be maad there to God. V. with hard nol; that is, obstynat in soule. vncir|cumcidid hertis; fro vices and filthis. and eeris; fro blas|femyes and de|tracciouns. Ve. ȝe with stoden the Holy Goost; spekinge in Moises and pro|fetis. V. of the comyng of the iust; that is, of Crist, which is seid iust bi excellence. Lire here. Ve. whos traitouris; in tretinge with Judas. mansleeris; in procuringe his deth. Lire here. v.] , as he seith bi the profete, He|uene is a seete to me, and the erthe is the stool of my feet; what hous schulen ȝe bilde to me, seith the Lord, ether what place is of my restyng? [verse 50] Whether myn hoond made not alle these thingis? [verse 51] With hard nol, and vncircumcidid hertis and eris ȝe withstoden [withstonden Rk.] eueremore the Hooli Goost; and [Om. gk.] as ȝoure fadris, so ȝe. [verse 52] Whom of the [Om. I.] profetis han not ȝoure fadris pursued, and han slayn hem that bifor telden of the comyng of the riȝtful man, whos traitouris and mansleeris ȝe weren now? [verse 53] Whiche token the lawe in ordynaunce of aungels, and han not kept it. [verse 54] And thei herden these thingis, and weren dyuersli turmentid in her hertis, and [and thei I.] grenneden [gryntiden ER. ether gnastiden K marg. grentyn K.] with teeth on hym. [verse 55] But

whanne Steuene was ful of the Hooli Goost, he bihelde in to heuene, and say the glorie of God, and Jhesu stondinge on the riȝthalf [riȝt hond a.] of the vertu of God. And he seide, Lo! Y se heuenes openyd, and mannus sone stondynge on the riȝt|half of the vertu of God. [verse 56] And thei cri|eden with a greet vois, and stoppiden [ether heulden togidere K marg.] her eris, and maden with o wille an [Om. IKa sec. m.] assauȝt [a sauȝt I. ether feersnesse K marg.] in to hym. [verse 57] And thei brouȝten hym out of the citee, and stonyden. And the witnessis diden of her clothis, bisidis the feet of a ȝong man, that was clepid Saule. [verse 58] And thei stonyden Steuene, that clepide God to help, seiynge, Lord Jhesu, resseyue my spirit. [verse 59] And he knelide [he knelide; that is, in prey|inge the manere schulde be de|uout. Ve. criede with greet vois; for it cam forth of gret desijr to the helthe of neiȝeboris. V. sette not to hem, etc.; in reseru|ynge euerlast|inge peyne to hem, but ȝeue verey penaunce to hem. Lire here. Ve. In summe bookis it sueth, for thei witen not what thei don, but this is not of the text, neither is in bookis amend|id; forsothe men namely for greet . . . . . weren more styrid bi wraththe, than bi yngno|raunce, and the yngnoraunce of many men was causid of malice bifore goinge, that is, for hater|hed and enuye aȝens Crist. Lire here. v.] , and criede with a greet vois, and seide, Lord, sette not to hem this synne. And whanne he hadde seid this thing, he diede.