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

II. PETER.

[The secounde pistle of Petre [Here biginnith the secounde epistle of Petir. EO. Heere biginnith the ij. of Petre. I. No initial rubric in CKMQabcghkα.] .] CAP. I.

[verse 1] SIMOUNT PETRE, seruaunt and apo|stle of `Jhesu Crist [Crist Jhesu R pr. m.] , to hem [to hem, etc.; that is, to he|thene men con|uertid. with us; Jewis. in the riȝtwisnesse of God; that is, ȝouen bi God. Lire here. ve.] that han take with vs the euene feith, in the [Om. Xbh pr. m.] riȝt|wisnesse of oure God and sauyour Jhesu Crist, [verse 2] grace and pees be fillid to ȝou, bi the knowing of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. [verse 3] Hou alle thingis of his godlich vertu, that ben to lijf and pitee, ben ȝouun to vs, bi the knowyng of hym, that clepide vs for his owne glorie and vertu. [verse 4] Bi whom he ȝaf to vs moost preciouse biheestis; that bi these thingis ȝe schulen be maad felows of Goddis kynde, and fle the cor|rupcioun of that coueytise, that is in the world. [verse 5] And bringe ȝe in alle bisynesse, and mynystre ȝe [Om. O.] in ȝoure feith vertu, [verse 6] and `in vertu [Om. A pr. m.] kunnyng; in kunnyng abstinence, in abstynence pacience, in pa|cience [verse 7] pitee; in pitee, love of britherhod, and in loue of britherhod charite. [verse 8] For if these ben with ȝou, and ouercomen, thei schulen not make ȝou voide, nethir with out fruyt, in the knowyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. [verse 9] But to whom these ben not redi, he is blynd, and gropith [ether asaieth K marg.] with his hoond, and forȝetith the purgyng of his elde trespassis. [verse 10] Wherfor, britheren,

be ȝe more bisi, that by goode werkis ȝe make ȝoure clepyng and chesyng [in chesyng a.] certeyn; [verse 11] for ȝe doynge these thingis schulen not do synne ony tyme [schulen not do synne ony tyme; that is, if ȝe don goode werkis conty|nuely, ȝe schu|len not deedly synne, forwhi venial synne may not be eschewid vtter|ly. I schal bi|gynne; that is, I schal do this feruently, as if I were euere in the bygyn|nynge. as I am in this taber|nacle; that is, am [lyuynge e] in the body, which is seid the tabernacle of the soule. Lire here. ve.] . For thus the en|tryng in to euerlastynge kyngdom of oure Lord and sauyour Jhesu Crist, schal be mynystrid to ȝou plenteuousli. [verse 12] For which thing Y schal bigynne to moneste ȝou euere more of these thingis; and Y wole that ȝe be kunnynge, and confermyd in this present treuthe. [verse 13] Forsothe [Therfor a.] Y deme iustli, as long as Y am in this tabernacle [tabernacle, ether this lijf I.] , to reise ȝou in monesting; [verse 14] and Y am certeyn, that the putting awei of my tabernacle is swift, bi this that oure Lord Jhesu Crist hath schewid to me. [verse 15] But Y schal ȝyue bisynesse, and [that IO.] ofte after my deth ȝe [Om. R. that ȝe X sec. m.] haue [haue ȝe R.] mynde of these thingis. [verse 16] For we not suynge vnwise talis, han maad knowun to ȝou the vertu and the biforknowyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist; but we weren maad biholderis of his greetnesse. [verse 17] For he took of God the fadir onour and glorie, bi siche maner vois slidun doun to hym fro the greet glorie, This is my loued sone, in whom Y haue plesid to me; here ȝe hym. [verse 18] And we herden this vois brouȝt from heuene, whanne we weren with hym in the hooli hil. [verse 19] And we han a [Om. b.] saddere word of prophecie [a saddere word of the prophete; this is the word of Dauith in the ij. salm, where the fadir seide to Crist, Thou art my sone, to day I haue gendrid thee. This prophecie of Dauith was saddere than the wordis of othere profetis; for he was moost excellent prophete. Lire here. Ve. Either this word of Dauith was saddere to the Jewis dwell|inge amonge hethene men, than othere wordis of Crist that Peter herde, either this is seid saddere [for] Crist ȝaf to the postlis witte to vndirstonde scripturis. Lire here. v.] , to which ȝe ȝyuynge tent don wel, as to [Om. R.] a [Om. I.] lanterne that ȝyueth liȝt in a derk place, til the dai bigynne to ȝyue liȝt, and the dai sterre sprenge in ȝoure hertis. [verse 20] And firste vndurstonde ȝe this thing, that ech prophesie of scrip|ture is not maad bi propre interpreta|cioun [that is, bi mannes wille. V.] ; [verse 21] for prophesie was not brouȝt ony tyme bi mannus wille, but the hooli

men of God inspirid with the Hooli Goost spaken.

CAP. II.

[verse 1] But also false prophetis weren in the puple, as in ȝou schulen be maistris [maistir EQacghoαβ.] lieris, that schulen bringe in sectis of perdicioun; and thei denyen [schul denye I.] thilke Lord that bouȝte hem, and bringen [bryng yn I. ether aboue leeden K marg.] on hem silf hasti perdicioun. [verse 2] And many schulen sue her letcheries, bi whiche [whom I.] the weie of [verse 3] treuthe schal be blasfemyd; and thei schulen make marchaundie [marchaundise EKaghkoαβ.] of ȝou in coueytise bi feyned wordis. To whiche [whom I.] doom now a while ago ceessith not [now a while, etc.; that is, maad redy fro the bigynnyng of the world. Lire here. ve.] , and the perdicioun of hem nappith not. [verse 4] For if God sparide not aungels synnynge, but bitook hem to be turmentid, and to be drawun doun with boondis of helle in to [verse 5] helle, to be kept in to dom [the doom k pr. m.] [in to dom; that is, aftir the dom; here it is vndir|stonde that in lijk maner God schal not spare eretikis. Lire here. ve.] ; and sparide not the firste world, but kept Noe, the eiȝthe man, the biforgoere [fore goere I.] of riȝtwis|nesse, and brouȝte in the greet flood to [verse 6] the world of vnfeithful men; and he droof in to poudre the citees of men of Sodom and of men of Gommor, and dampnede bi turnyng vpsedoun, and putte hem the ensaumple of hem that [verse 7] weren to doynge yuele; and delyuerid the iust Loth, oppressid of the wrong, and of the letcherouse conuersacioun of [verse 8] cursid men; for in siȝt and hering he was iust, and dwellide amongst hem that fro dai in to dai turmentiden with wickid werkis a iust soule. [verse 9] For the Lord kan delyuere piteuouse men fro temptacioun, and kepe wickid men `in to [in k pr. m.] the dai of

[verse 10] dom to be turmentid; but more hem [more God reserueth hem; that is, eretikis to be turment|id. Exposi|touris seien comunly, that eretikis schulen be punschid greuousliere than feendis and othere syn|ful men, of whiche seint Petir settide saumplis bifore, and this seem|ith ful reson|able, that princes of eresie, and defoulid with othere fleschly synnes, schulen be punschid more than comun feendis, and euen with prin|cipal fendis, for whi eresie is the chief spice of vnfeithful|nesse, and in ech ordre of fendis schulen be summe dampned men aftir decrees of synnes. V. dispisin lord|schiping; that is, Crist, Lord of lordis. sectis; of eresie. aun|gelis; that is, yuele aungels. beren not; that is, vnnethis suffren. abo|mynable doom; that is, peyne, which is seid abomynable, for feendis demen it abo|mynable as vniust; but it is iust, in as myche as it is ordeyned of God. in her corrupcioun; that is, corrup with the hijre of vnriȝtful|nesse; that is, peyne ȝoue due to her malice. Lire here. ve.] that walken aftir the fleisch, in coueyt|inge of vnclennesse, and dispisen lord|schiping, and ben boold, plesynge hem silf, and dreden not to bringe in sectis, blas|femynge [of blasfeminge b.] ; [verse 11] where aungels, whanne thei ben more [maad more I.] in strengthe and vertu, beren not `that was [that that was E. Om. QX sec. m. a.] the execrable [ether cursid K marg. X sec. m. marg.] doom aȝens hem. [verse 12] But these ben as vnresonable beestis, kyndli in to takyng, and in to deth, blasfemynge in these thingis that thei knowen not, and schulen perische in [verse 13] her corrupcioun, and resseyue the hire of vnriȝtwisnesse. And thei gessen delicis of defouling [of defouling; that is, of leccherie. and of wem; that is, of glotonie. to be lykinges of day; that is, leeueful and onest. Ve. in desijris of flesch of leccherie; that is, of fleschly leccherie. V. scapin a litel; that is, withdrawen hemself sumdel from the teching of holy chirche. for suche men ben soone disseyued of eretikis. Ve. whiche eretikis lyuen in errour; that is, ben hardid therynne. V. liberte; in seyinge that thei moun leeuefully vse lustis of flesch. Lire here. ve.] and of wemme, to be likyngis of dai [the dai b.] , flowynge in her feestis with de|licis, [verse 14] doynge letcherie with ȝou, and han iȝen ful of auowtrie, and vnceessynge trespas, disseyuynge vnstidfast soulis, and han the herte excercisid [hauntid IR.] to coueitise; [verse 15] the sones of [in O.] cursyng, that forsaken the riȝt weie, and erriden, suynge the weie of Balaam of Bosor, which [the whiche k.] louyde the hire of wickidnesse. [verse 16] But he hadde repreuyng of his woodnesse; a doumb beest vndur ȝok, that spak [spak to him k.] with vois of man, that forbede the vnwisdom of the profete. [verse 17] These ben wellis with out watir, and mystis dryuun with `whirlinge wyndys [whirle wyndis I.] , to whiche [whom I.] the thicke mijst of derknessis is reseruyd [resseyued CI pr. m. ach.] . [verse 18] And thei speken in pryde of vanyte, and disseyuen in [in the k.] desiris of fleisch of letcherie hem, that scapen [ascapen b.] a litil. [verse 19] Whiche lyuen in errour, and biheten fredom to hem, whanne thei ben ser|uauntis of corrupcioun. For of whom ony man is ouercomun, of hym also he is

seruaunt. [verse 20] For if men forsaken the vn|clennessis [vnclennes O.] of the world, bi the knowyng of oure Lord and sauyour Jhesu Crist, and eftsone ben wlappid in these, and ben ouercomun, the lattere thingis ben maad to hem worse than the formere. [verse 21] For it was betere to hem to not knowe the weie of riȝtwisnesse [riȝtwisnessis a. truwe riȝtwijsnes k pr. m.] , than to turne aȝen aftir the knowyng, fro that hooli maundement that was bitakun to hem. [verse 22] For thilke very prouerb bifelde to hem, The hound turnede aȝen to his castyng [vomyte, or castynge I. spuwing C.] , and a sowe is waischun in walwyng [ether slow of cley K marg.] in [of R.] fenne.

CAP. III.

[verse 1] Lo! ȝe moost dereworth britheren, Y write to ȝou this secounde epistle [pistle b.] , in which [in whiche; that is, the firste and the secunde pistle. Lire here. v.] Y stire ȝoure clere soule bi mon|esting [verse 2] togidere, that ȝe be myndeful of tho wordis, that Y biforseide of the hooli prophetis, and of the maundementis of the hooli apostlis of the Lord and sauyour. [verse 3] First wite ȝe this thing, that in the laste daies disseyueris schulen come in disseit, goynge aftir her owne coueityngis, seiynge, [verse 4] Where is the bi|heest, or the comyng of hym? for sithen the fadris dieden, alle thingis lasten fro the bigynnyng of creature. [verse 5] But it is hid [ether dareth K marg.] fro hem willynge this thing, that heuenes [heuenes; that is, the hiȝere part of the lower part of the eir. as a thousind ȝeeres; anentis us, and bi a thousind is vndirstonden whateuer turn|yng aboute of tymes, which is litil and of noo reputacioun in comparisoun of Goddis euer|lastingnesse. God tarieth not his biheest; that is, in the ȝeelding of his biheestis he tarieth not ouer duete, thouȝ summen gessen this bi err[our] and denyen herfore the dom to comynge. doith paciently; in delayinge the doom. for ȝou; that goode men encreese in me|rit, and yuele men turne aȝen bi penaunce. Lire here. Ve. wole not that eny men pe|rische; as myche as per|teyneth to him|self. Lire here. v.] were bifore, and the erthe of water was stondynge bi watir, of [bi EKQRbcegoαβ.] Goddis [verse 6] word; bi which that [Om. EQgk pr. m. αβ.] ilke [thilk ERkαβ.] world clensid, thanne bi watir perischide. [verse 7] But the heuenes that now ben, and the erthe,

ben kept bi the same word, and ben re|seruyd to fier in to the dai of doom and perdicioun of wickid men. [verse 8] But, ȝe moost dere, this o thing be not hid to [fro O.] ȝou, that o dai anentis God is as a thousynde ȝeeris, and a thousynde ȝeeris ben as o dai. [verse 9] The Lord tarieth not his biheest, as summe gessen, but he doith pacientli for ȝou, and wole not that ony men [man Eeoβ.] perische, but that alle turne aȝen to penaunce. [verse 10] For the dai of the Lord schal come as a theef, in which heuenes with greet bire [ether hast K marg.] schulen passe, and elementis schulen be dissoluyd [lousid R.] bi heete, and the erthe, and alle the werkis that ben in it, schulen be brent. [verse 11] Ther|for whanne alle these thingis schulen be dissolued, what manner men bihoueth it ȝou to be in hooli lyuyngis and pitees [pitee R.] , [verse 12] abidinge [abidingis k.] and hiȝynge in to the comyng of the dai of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, bi whom heuenes brennynge schulen be dis|soluyd, and elementis schulen faile bi brennyng of fier. [verse 13] Also we abiden bi hise biheestis newe heuenes and newe erthe, in which riȝtwisnesse dwellith. [verse 14] For which thing, ȝe moost dere, abidynge these thingis, be ȝe bisye to be foundun to hym in pees vnspottid and vndefoulid. [verse 15] And deme ȝe long abiding of oure Lord Jhesu Crist ȝoure heelthe, as also oure moost dere [dereworthe R.] brother Poul wroot to ȝou, bi wisdom ȝouun to hym. [verse 16] As and [Om. Rgoαβ.] in alle [alle his O.] epistlis he spekith `in hem [and R.] of these thingis; in [of R.] which ben summe hard thingis to vndurstonde, whiche [the whiche k.] vnwise and vn|stable men deprauen, as also thei don othere scripturis, to her owne perdicioun. [verse 17] Therfor ȝe, britheren, bifor witynge kepe ȝou [ȝoure E.] silf, lest ȝe be disseyued bi errour of vnwise men, and falle awei fro ȝoure

owne [Om. Eb pr. m. gk.] sadnesse. [verse 18] But wexe ȝe in the grace and the knowyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist and oure Sauyour; to hym be glorie now and in to the dai of euer|lastyngnesse. Amen.

Here endith the secounde pistle of Petir, and here bigynneth the firste pistle of John [From CMQUXabceghα. Heere endeth the ij. epistle of Petre, and biginnith the j. epistle of Jon. IO. Here endeth the secounde pistle of Petre; se now the firste pistle of Joon. K. Here endith the ii. pistil of Peter, and sueth i. of Johne. R. No final rubric in AEk.] .