Matthew · Chapter 18

[ edit] In þat hour þe diſciplis camen niȝ to Jheſus, ſeiynge, Who, geſſiſt þou, is more in þe kyngdam of heuenes? And Jheſus, clepynge to a litil child, putte hym in þe mydil of hem; and ſeide, I ſeie trewþe to ȝou, no but ȝif ȝe ſhulen be turnyd, and maad as litil children, ȝe ſhulen nat entren in to þe kyngdam of heuenes. Þerfore who euere ſhal meeke hym as þis litil child, he is more in þe kyngdam of heuenes. And he þat reſceyueþ oon ſiche litil in my name, reſceyueþ me. Forſoþe who ſhal ſclaundre oon of þeſe ſmale leſte, þat byleeuen in me, it ſpediþ to hym þat a myln ſtoon of aſſis be hanged in his neeke, and be drenchid in to þe depneſſe of þe ſee.

Woo to þe world, for ſclaundris; treuly it is neede, þat ſclaundris come; neþeles woo to þe ilk man by whom a ſclaundre comeþ. Forſoþe ȝif þin hond or þi foot ſclaundre þee, kitt it of, and kaſt awey fro þee. It is good to þee to entre in to lyf feble, oþer croked, þan hauynge two hondis or two feet to be ſent in to euerlaſtynge fijr. And ȝif þin eiȝe ſclaundre þee, pulle it out, and caſt awey fro þee. It is good to þee wiþ oon eiȝe to entre in to lyf, þan hauynge two eiȝen to be ſente in to fijr of helle. Se ȝe, þat ȝe diſpiſe nat oon of þeſe litile. Trewly I ſeie to ȝou, þat þe angelis of hem in heuenes ſeen euermore þe face of my fadir þat is in heuenes.

Forſoþe mannys ſone came for to ſaue þat þing þat periſhide. What ſemeþ to ȝou? Ȝif þer weren to ſumman an hundrid ſheep, and oon of hem ſhall erre, wher he ſhal nat leeue nynty and nyne in deſert, and ſhal go for to ſeeke þat þat erride? And if it befalle þat he fynde it, trewly I ſeie to ȝou, for he ſhal ioye þeron more þan of nynty and nyne þat erriden nat. So it is nat will before youre fadir þat is in heuenes, þat oon of þeſe litil periſhe. Forſoþ ȝif þi broþer ſhal ſynne in þee, go þou, and reproue hym, or ſnybbe, bitwixe þee and hym aloone; ȝif he ſhal heere þee, þou haſt wonnen þi broþer.

Trewly ȝif he ſhal nat heere þee, take wiþ þee oon or two, þat euery word ſtonde in þe mouþe of two or þree witneſſis. Þat ȝif he ſhal nat heere hem, ſeie þou to þe chirche. Forſoþe ȝif he ſhal not heere þe chirche, be hee to þee as an heþen and a puplicane. I ſeie to ȝou trewli, what euere þingis ȝee ſhulen bynde vpon erþe, þo ſhulen be bounden and in heuenes; and what euere þingis ȝee ſhulen vnbynde vpon erþe, þo ſhulen be vnbounden and in heuenes. Eftſoone I ſeie to ȝou, þat ȝif two of ȝou ſhulen conſente on þe erþe, of euery þinge whateuer þei ſhulen axe, it ſhal be don to hem of my fadir þat is in heuenes. For where two or þree ſhulen be gedrid in my name, þer I am in þe midil of hem.

Þanne Petre, cummynge niȝ to hym, ſeide, Lord, hou ofte ſhal my broþer ſynne in me, and I ſhal forȝeue hym? Wheþer to ſeuen tymes? Jheſus ſeiþ to hym, I ſeie nat to þee, til ſeuen ſiþis; but to ſeuenty ſyþis ſeuene ſiþis. Þerfore þe kingdom of heuenes is lickened to a man kyng, þat wolde putte reſoun wiþ his ſeruauntis. And whanne he began for to putte reſoun, oon was offrid to hym, þat owȝte to hym ten þouſand talentis. Trewly whanne he hadde nat wherof to ȝelde, his lord comaundide hym to be ſold, and his wif, and ſonys, and alle þingis þat he hadde, and to be payed. Forſoþe þe ilk ſeruaunt, fallynge doun, preide hym, ſeyinge, Haue pacience in me, and alle þingis I ſhal ȝeelde to þee.

Soþely þe lord of þat ſeruaunt hauynge mercy, leete hym, or ſuffride hym, and forȝaue to hym þe dette. Trewly þilk ſeruaunt gon out, fonde oon of his euen ſeruauntis, þat ouȝte hym an hundrid pens; and he, holdynge hym, ſtranglide hym, ſeyinge, Ȝeld þat þou owiſt. And his euen ſeruaunt preiede hym, ſeyinge, Haue pacience in me, and alle þingis I ſhal quyte to þee. Forſoþe he wolde nat; but wente, and ſent hym in to pryſon, til þat he paide al þe dette. Soþely his euen ſeruauntis, ſeeynge þe þingis þat weren don, gretely hadden ſorowe. And þei camen, and tolden to her lord alle þe þingis þat weren don.

Þanne his lord clepide hym, and ſeide to hym, Weyward ſeruaunt, I forȝaf to þee al þe dette, for þou preidiſt me. Þerfore wher it behouede nat and þee to haue mercy on þi euen ſeruaunt, as I hadde mercy of þee? And his lord wroþ, tok hym to tourmenturs, til þat he paiede al þe dette. So and my fadir of heuen ſhal do to ȝou, ȝif ȝe forȝeue nat euery man to his broþer, of ȝoure hertis.