1 Poul, apostle `of Jhesu Crist, bi the comaundement of God oure sauyour, and of Jhesu Crist oure hope,
2 to Tymothe, bilouyd sone in the feith, grace and merci and pees, of God the fadir, and of Jhesu Crist, oure Lord.
3 As Y preyede thee, that thou schuldist dwelle at Effesi, whanne Y wente into Macedonye, that thou schuldist denounce to summe men, that thei schulden not teche othere weie,
4 nether yyue tent to fablis and genologies that ben vncerteyn, whiche yyuen questiouns, more than edificacioun of God, that is in the feith.
5 For the ende of comaundement is charite of clene herte, and good conscience, and of feith not feyned.
6 Fro whiche thingis sum men han errid, and ben turned in to veyn speche;
7 and willith to be techeris of the lawe, and vndurstonden not what thingis thei speken, nether of what thingis thei affermen.
8 And we witen that the lawe is good, if ony man vse it lawefulli;
9 and witinge this thing, that the lawe is not set to a iust man, but to vniust men and not suget, to wickid men and to synneris, to cursid men and defoulid, to sleeris of fadir, and sleeris of modir, to `men sleeris and lechouris,
10 to hem that don letcherie with men, lesingmongeris and forsworun, and if ony othere thing is contrarie to the hoolsum teching,
11 that is aftir the euangelie of the glorie of blessid God, which is bitakun to me.
12 Y do thankingis to hym, that coumfortide me in Crist Jhesu oure Lord, for he gesside me feithful, and putte me in mynystrie,
13 that first was a blasfeme, and a pursuere, and ful of wrongis. But Y haue getun the merci of God, for Y vnknowinge dide in vnbileue.
14 But the grace of oure Lord ouer aboundide, with feith and loue that is in Crist Jhesu.
15 A trewe word and worthi al resseyuyng, for Crist Jhesu cam in to this world to make synful men saaf, of whiche Y am the firste.
16 But therfor Y haue getun merci, that Crist Jhesu schulde schewe in me first al pacience, to the enfourmyng of hem that schulen bileue to hym in to euerlastinge lijf.
17 And to the king of worldis, vndeedli and vnvysible God aloone, be onour and glorie in to worldis of worldis. Amen.
18 I bitake this comaundement to thee, thou sone Timothe, after the prophecies that han be hertofore in thee, that thou traueile in hem a good trauel,
19 hauynge feith and good conscience, which summen casten awei, and perischiden aboute the feith.
20 Of whiche is Ymeneus and Alisaundre, which Y bitook to Sathanas, that thei lerne `to not blasfeme. |
