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

[verse 1] And [C ^m 3^m in the margin in an early hand, S.] lo, my leueste frendes, y write to ȝow þis [þe P.] seconde [verse 2] epystel [P folio 22] to stere ȝow in-to warnynge to a cler þouȝt [u added above line in darker ink, S.] , þat ȝe

han mynde of þilke wordes þat ich haue y-sayd ȝow of holy prophetes & aposteles, of þe holy comaundementis of oure Lord & oure Safyour. [verse 3] And knowe ȝe [we P.] furst, þat þer schuleþ comen men in þe laste dayes in deceyt gylours, walkynge [verse 4] after hure owene couey[ti]se [coueyse S. coueytise P.] , & seyenge, Where is þe by|heste oþer þe [þo P.] comynge of hym? For, seþþe þat oure fadres habbeþ y-slept, alle þinges abydeþ stylle from þe bygynnynge of creatures. [verse 5] Bote to þilke þat han þis wyl it is y-hud from hem, For hefne was sumtyme, and erþe, of watyr & abydynge þoroȝ watyr by þe word of God. [verse 6] By whom þe world was þo y-clensed & perysched by watyr. [verse 7] Bote hefnes þat beþ now [erasure of two letters after the w, S.] , & þe erþe, þoroȝ þe same word beþ y-kept to fuyr in-to þe day of dome, & of perdycyoun of wycked men. [verse 8] Bote naþeles, my dere frendes [Opposite verse 8 an e and nota in the margin, S.] , þis on þing ne be noȝt y-hud from ȝow, þat on day is to-fore God as a þousande ȝeres [ȝer P.] , & a þousande ȝeer [& a þousande ȝeer om. P.] as on day. [verse 9] And God ne targeþ noȝt his byheste as summe men weneþ; bote doþ pacyentlyche for ȝow, & nul none men [S folio 19b] perysche, Bote þat alle men ben y-turnyd aȝeyn to penaunce. [verse 10] And þe day of oure Lord schal comen as a þef; in þe whuche day hefne schal passen in a gret hastynesse, & þe elementes schuleþ ben vnbounde þoroȝ hete [inserted in a later hand, P.] , & [P folio 22b] þe erþe & al þe werkes þat beþ þer-ynne [þer in margin, 1st corrector's hand, S.] schuleþ ben y-brand. [verse 11] And seþþe alle þese þinges schuleþ ben vndon, Whyche byhoueþ it þat we ben in [verse 12] holy conuersacyones & pytees, abydynge & hyȝenge in þe comynge of oure Lord, þorouȝ whom brennynge hefnes schuleþ ben vndon, & þe elementys schuleþ roten þoroȝ þe hete of þe [þat P.] fuyr? [verse 13] & we abydeþ newe hefnes & a newe erþe & his byhestes, in þe whuche riȝtfulnesse woneþ ynne. [verse 14] And þerfore, my dereste breþeren, be ȝe abydynge wiþ-outen wem and vndefouled, & schape ȝe ȝow to ben y-founden in pes. [verse 15] & deme þat þe longe a-bydynge of oure Lord Iesu Crist is [deprafeþ is written in the margin in the 1st corrector's hand, S.] hele, as oure dereste broþer Poule, aftyr þe wysdom þat was [verse 16] y-grauntyd hym, wrot to ȝou; as he haþ y-don in his oþer

pysteles; in whom he spekeþ many harde þinges to vnder|stonden, þe whuche vnstabel men & vntauȝt deprafeþ, as þei doþ oþer scriptures, to hure owne dampnacyoun. [verse 17] And þer|fore, my breþeren, seþþe ȝe knowe þese þinges byfore, kepeþ ȝow-selfe, þat ȝe ben noȝt y-lad in þe errour of vn-wyse men, & fallen awey þoroȝ ȝoure owene infirmyte. [verse 18] Bote waxe ȝe in þe knowynge & in þe grace of oure [ȝoure P.] Lord Iesu Crist oure Sauyour; to hym be blysse now & efermore her-aftur. De[o] [deu with u in darker ink on erasure, S.] gracias?