A fourteenth century English Biblical version, edited by Anna C. Paues ...

[verse 1] And ȝe ȝou|self knoweþ oure entre to ȝou, & þat it ne was noȝt veyn: [verse 2] bote furst we suffreden enuyes & disheses, as ȝe wyteþ wel, among Phylypences, bote we haden trust in oure Lord God to [P folio 67] speke to ȝou þe euangelye of God in myche bysynesse. [verse 3] & oure exortacyoun ne was noȝt of errour, ne of vnclannesse, ne [verse 4] in gyle: bote as [we] weren y-prefed by-fore God, & as þe euangelye was y-take to ous, so we spekeþ; noȝt as plesynge to men, bote to God þat prefeþ oure hertes. [verse 5] Ne we weren noȝt in no tyme in speche of flaterynge, as ȝe wyteþ wel, ne [verse 6] in [in no P. nota in the margin, S.] occasyoun of coueytyse, God is wyttnesse; ne sechyng [verse 7] worschupe of ȝou, ne of non oþer, whan we myȝten haue y-be

chargeful [chargeful repeated in the margin, 1st corr. S.] to ȝou, as Cristes aposteles. Bote we were y-maad as smale children among ȝou [S folio 58b] , riȝt as a norysche þat nore|scheþ [verse 8] hure chuldren: so we han desyred ȝou & wolden noȝt onlyche haue y-take to ȝou þe euangelye, bote also oure owne soules, for ȝe weren leuest to ous. [verse 9] And [nota in the margin, S.] breþeren, ȝe haueþ mynde of oure trauayl & of oure werynesse: for day & nyȝt we wroȝten, for we ne wolden greue none of ȝow, ne be chariaunt, and precheden to ȝow þe euangelye of God. [verse 10] & ȝe beþ wytnesses, & God also, hou holylyche & ryȝtfullyche and [verse 11] wiþ-outen blame we weren to ȝou þat byleueden, as ȝe wyteþ [verse 12] wel, & preyenge eferichone of ȝou as a fader his chyldren, & comfortynge ȝou, & wytnessed to ȝow, þat ȝe walken worþilyche to [P folio 67b] God, þat haþ ycleped ȝow in-to his kyngdom & in-to his blisse. [verse 13] & þerfore we þankeþ God wiþ-outen stuntynge [stundynge P.] , for whanne ȝe hadden vnderfongen of ous þe word of þe herynge of God, ȝe vnderfongen it noȝt as mennes word, bote as þe word of God verreylyche, þat worcheþ in ȝou þat han byleued. [verse 14] For breþeren, ȝe beþ y-mad foleweres of Godes churches þat beþ [in] Iudee in Iesu Crist: for ȝe han y-suffred þe same þinges [verse 15] of oure felowchupes, þat þei habbeþ of Iewes; þat slowen Iesus [Jesus...prophetis in late hand on erasure, P.] þat is God & þe prophetes [Jesus... prophetis in late hand on erasure, P.] also, & ous þei han purswed, & þei ne pleseþ noȝt God, & to alle men þei beþ aduersaryes: [verse 16] forbedynge ous to speke to mysbylefed men þat þei ben y-saued; þat þei fulfullen efermore hure synnes: for þe wraþþe of God is y-comen on hem to þe ende. [verse 17] And breþeren, we þat ben desolat from ȝou [for a tyme], in m[o]u[þ] [many S.P. Vulg. desolati a vobis ad tempus horæ.] & in byholdynge, & noȝt in herte, hafeþ [S folio 59] muche y-hyȝed to [verse 18] sen ȝoure vysage wiþ muche desyr: & ich wolde haue y-come to ȝou ones & eftsones, bote Sathanas letted me. [verse 19] Whuche is oure hope, oþer oure ioye, oþer þe corone of oure blisse? Ne be ȝe þat noȝt byfore oure Lord Iesu Crist in his comynge? [verse 20] Ȝe beþ oure blysse & oure ioye.