Matthew · Chapter 11

[ edit] And it is don, when Jheſus hadde eendid, he, comaundynge to his twelue diſciplis, paſſide fro þennes for to preche and teche in þe citees of hem. Forſoþe when Joon in boondis hadde herd þe werkis of Criſt, he, ſendynge two or þree of his diſciplis, ſeide to hym, Art þou he þat art to cummynge, or we abiden an oþer? And Jheſus anſwerynge, ſeide to hem, Ȝee goynge telle aȝein to Joon þe þingis þat ȝe han herde and ſeen. Blynde men ſeen, crokid men wandren, meſels ben maad clene, deef men heeren, dead men riſen aȝein, pore men ben taken to prechynge of þe goſpel, or ben maad keepers of þe goſpel. And he is bleſſid, þat ſhal nat be ſclaundrid in me.

Soþely hem goynge awey, Jheſus biganne for to ſeye of Joon to þe cumpanyes, What þing wenten ȝe out for to ſee in deſert? wheþer a reede wawid wiþ wynd? But what þing wente ȝe out for to ſeen? wheþer a man cloþid wiþ ſoft þingis? Loo! þei þat ben cloþid wiþ ſofte þingis ben in houſis of kyngis. But what þing wenten ȝe out for to ſe? wheþer a prophete? Ȝe, I ſeie to ȝou, and more þan a prophete. For þis is he, of whom it is writyn, Loo! I ſende myne aungel before þi face, þat ſhal make redy þi wey bifore þee. Trewly I ſay to ȝou, þer rooſe noon more þan Joon Baptiſt amonge children of wommen; forſoþe he þat is leſſe in þe kyngdam of heuenes, is more þan he.

Soþely fro þe days of Joon Baptiſt til now þe kyngdam of heuenes ſuffreþ ſtrengþe, or violence, and violent men rauyſhen it. For alle prophetis and þe lawe til Joon Baptiſt prophecieden; and ȝif ȝe wolen reſſeyuen, he is Ely þat is to cume. He þat haþ eeris of heerynge, heere he. But to whom ſhal I geſſe þis generacioun lichy? It is lichi to children ſittynge in cheepynge, þe whiche, cryinge to her peeris, ſeien, We han ſungen to ȝou, and ȝe han nat lippid; we han mourned to ȝou, and ȝe han nat weilid. Soþely Joon cam neiþer etyinge ne drynkynge, and þei ſeien, He haþ a deuel.

Þe ſone of man came etynge and drynkynge, and þei ſeyen, Loo! a man deuourer, or glotoun, and drynker of wyn, and frend of puplicanys and ſynful men. And wijſdam is iuſtified of her ſonys. Þanne Jheſus began for to ſeie repreue to citees, in whiche ful manye vertues of hym ben don, for þei diden nat penaunce. Woo to þee! Corozaym, woo to þee! Beþſaida; for ȝif þo vertues þat ben don in ȝou hadden ben don in Tyre and Sydon, ſum tyme þei hadden don penaunce in haire and aſch. Neþeles I ſay, it ſhal be ſofter, or leſſe peyne, to Tyre and Sydon þan to ȝou, in þe day of dome. And þou, Caphernaum, wheþer til in to heuen þou ſhalt be rerid vp? Þou ſhalt go doun til into helle.

For ȝif þe vertues þat ben don in þee, hadden be don in Sodom, perauenture þei ſhulden han dwellid til vn to þis day. Neþeles Y ſaye to ȝou, for to þe lond of Sodom it ſhal be ſofter, or leſſe peyne, in þe day of dome, þan to þee. In þe ilk tyme Jheſus anſwerynge ſaide, I knowleche to þee, fadir, lord of heuen and erþe, for þou haſt hid þeſe þingis fro wijſe men and ware, or ſleeȝ men, and haſt ſhewid hem to litil men; ſo, fadir, for whi ſo it was pleſynge tofore þee. Alle þingis ben taken to me of my fadir; and no man knewe þe ſone, no but þe fadir, neiþer eny man knewe þe fadir, no but þe ſone, and to whom þe ſone wolde ſhewe.

Alle ȝe þat traueilen, and ben chargid, come to me, and I ſhal refreſhe, or fulfille, ȝou. Take ȝe my ȝoc vpon ȝou, and lerne ȝe of me, for I am mylde and meeke in herte; and ȝe ſhulen fynde reſte in ȝoure ſoulis. For my ȝoc is ſwete, or ſofte, and my charge liȝt, or eiſy.