Romans · Chapter 4

[ edit] What þerfore ſchulen we ſeye, oure fadir Abraham for to haue founden vp þe fleyſch? Forſoþ if Abraham be iuſtified of þe workis of lawe, he haþ glorie, but not anentis God. What ſoþli ſeiþ þe ſcripture? Abraham bileuede to God, and it is rettid to him to riȝtwyſneſſe. Forſoþ to him þat worchiþ mede is not ȝouun to, or rettid, vp grace, but vp dette. But to hym þat worchiþ not, forſoþ bileuynge into him þat iuſtifyeþ þe wickid man, or vnpitous, his feiþ is rettid to riȝtwyſneſſe, vp þe purpoſinge of Goddis grace.

As and Dauid ſeiþ þe bleſſidneſſe of a man, to whom God acceptiþ riȝtwyſneſſe wiþoute werkis of þe lawe, Bleſſid þei, whos wickidneſſis ben forȝouun, and whos ſynnes ben keuered, or hid. Bleſſid þat man, to whom God rettide not ſynne. Þerfore þis bleſſidneſſe dwelliþ oonly in circumciſioun, or alſo in prepucie, or ſtaat of heþene men? Forſoþe we ſeyn, for þe feiþ is rettid to Abraham to riȝtwyſneſſe. Hou þerfore is it rettid? in circumciſioun, or in prepucie? Not in circumſioun, but in prepucie.

And he took a ſigne of circumciſioun, a markynge, or tokenynge, of riȝtwyſneſſe of feiþ þat is in prepucie, þat he be fadir of alle men bileuynge by prepucie, þat it be rettid and to hem to riȝtwyſneſſe; and þat he be fadir of circumciſioun, not oonly to hem þat ben of circumciſioun, but and to hem þat ſuen his ſteppis of þe feiþ of our fadir Abraham, þat is in prepucie. Forſoþe not by þe lawe is biheeſte to Abraham, or to his ſeed, þat he be þe eyr of þe world, but bi þe riȝtwyſneſſe of feiþ. Soþli if þei þat ben of þe lawe, ben eyris, feiþ is anentyſchid, or diſtroyed, biheeſte is don awey. Forſoþ þe lawe worchiþ wraþþe; ſoþli wher þe lawe is not, neþir is preuaricacioun, or treſpaſſinge.

Þerfore of þe feiþ, þat vp grace biheeſte be ſtable, or ſtedefaſt, to ech ſeed, not to þat ſeed oonly þat is of þe lawe, but to þat þat is of þe feiþ of Abraham, þe which is fadir of vs alle. As it is writun, For I haue ſett þee fadir of manye folkis, bifore God to whom þou haſt bileuyd. Þe which God quykeneþ deede men, and clepiþ þo þingis þat ben not, as þo þat ben. Þe which Abraham aȝens hope bileuede in to hope, þat he ſchulde be maad fadir of manye folkis, vp þat it is ſeid to hym, Þus ſchal þi ſeed be, as ſterris of heuene, and as grauel, or ſond, þat is in þe brynke of þe ſee.

And he is not maad vnſtedefaſt in þe bileue, neþir he biheld his body now nyȝ deed, whanne he was almooſt of an hundrid ȝeer, and þe wombe of Sare nyȝ deed. Alſo in þe byheeſte of God he doutide not wiþ vntruſt; but he is comfortid in bileue, ȝyuynge glorie to God, witinge mooſt fully for what euere þingis God haþ bihiȝt, he is myȝti and for to do. Þerfore it is rettid to him to riȝtwyſneſſe. Forſoþe it is not writun oonly for hym, for it is rettid to him to riȝtwyſneſſe, but and for vs, to which it ſchal be rettid, beleuynge in to hym þat reyſide oure Lord Jheſu Criſt fro deede ſpiritis. Þe which is bitakun for oure ſynnes, and roos aȝen for oure iuſtifyinge.