Romans · Chapter 2

[ edit] For which þing þou ert vnexcuſable, þou ech man þat demeſt, ſoþli in what þing þou demeſt an oþir man, þou condempniſt þi ſilf; forſoþe þou doiſt þe ſame þingis whiche þou demeſt. Soþely we witen, for þe dom of God is vp treuþe to hem, þat don ſiche þingis. Geſſiſt þou, man, forſoþe, þat demeſt hem þat don ſuche þingis, and þou doiſt hem, for þou ſchalt aſcape þe dom of God? Wher þou diſpiſiſt þe richeſſis of his goodneſſe, and pacience, and longe abidyng? Vnknoweſt þou, for þe benygnyte, or good wille, of God lediþ þee to penaunce?

Forſoþe aftir þi hardneſſe and vnrepentaunt herte, þou treſouriſt to þee wraþþe in to þe day of wraþþe and of ſchewynge of þe riȝtful dom of God, þat ſchal ȝelde to ech man vp his workis; ſoþely to hem þat vp patience of good werk, glorie, and honour, and vncoripcioun, to hem ſekynge euerelaſting lyf; forſoþe to hem þat ben of ſtryf, and þat aſſenten not to treuþe, but bileuen to wickidneſſe, wraþþe and indignacioun, tribulacioun and angwiſche, in to ech ſoule of man worchinge yuel þing, of Jew firſt and Greek; ſoþely glorie, and honour, and pees, to ech worchinge good þing, to Jew firſt, and to Greek.

For accepciouns of perſoones, þat is, to putte oon bifore anoþer wiþoute deſert, is not anentis God. Forſoþe who euere ſynnen wiþoute lawe, ſchulen periſche wiþouten lawe; and who euere in þe lawe ſynnen, ſchulen be demed by þe lawe. Soþely þe heereris of lawe ben not iuſt anentis God, but þe doeris of lawe ſchulen be maad iuſt.

Forſoþ whanne heþene þat han not lawe, don kyndeli, or by ſtiryng of kynde, þo þingis þat ben of þe lawe, þei not hauynge ſuch maner lawe, ben lawe to hem ſilf, þat ſchewen þe work of lawe writun in her hertis; þe conſcience of hem ȝeldinge to hem a witneſſinge and bitwixe hem ſelue of þouȝtis accuſinge or alſo defendinge, in þe day whanne God ſchal deme þe pryuei þingis of men vp my goſpel, by Jheſu Criſt.

Forſoþ if þou ert namyd a Jew, and reſtiſt in þe lawe, and haſt glorie in God, and haſt knowe his wille, and þou lerned by þe lawe preuyſt more profitable þingis, triſtneſt þi ſilf for to be a ledere of blynde men, þe liȝt of hem þat beþ in derkneſſis, a techere of vnwyſe men, a maiſtir of ȝonge children, hauynge þe foorme of ſcience, or kunnynge, and of treuþe in þe lawe; þerfore þou þat techiſt anoþir, techiſt not þi ſilf? Þou þat prechiſt to not ſtele, ſteliſt? Þou þat ſeiſt to not do leccherie, doiſt leccherie? Þou þat wlatiſt ydols, or mawmetis, doiſt ſacrilegie, þat is, þefte of hooly þingis? Þou þat glorieſt in þe lawe, by brekinge of þe lawe vnworſchipiſt, or diſpiſiſt, God?

Forſoþ þe name of God by ȝou is blasfemyd among heþene men, as it is writun. Soþli circumciſioun profyteþ, if þou kepe þe lawe; forſoþ if þou be a treſpaſſour of þe lawe, þi circumciſioun is maad prepucie, or cuſtom of heþen men. Þerfore if prepucie, or cuſtom of heþen men, kepe riȝtwyſneſſe of þe lawe, wher his prepucie ſchal not be rettid in to circumciſioun? And þe prepucie, þat is of kynde, fullinge þe lawe, ſchal deme þee, þat by lettre and circumciſioun ert treſpaſſour of þe lawe.

Forſoþ not he þat is a Jew in opyn, ne þe circumciſioun þat is in þe fleiſch in opyn; but he þat is a Jew in hidd, and þe circumciſioun of herte in ſpirit, not in lettre, whos preiſyng is not of men, but of God.