Romans · Chapter 12

[ edit] And ſo, briþeren, I biſeche ȝou by þe mercy of God, þat ȝe ȝyue ȝoure bodyes a lyuynge ooſt, or ſacrifice, hooly, pleſynge to God, ȝoure ſeruyce reſonable. And nyle ȝe be confoormed, or maad lyk, to þis world, but be ȝe refoormed in neweneſſe of ȝoure witt, þat ȝe proue which is þe wille of God, good, and wel pleſynge, and parfyt. Forſoþ I ſeie, bi þe grace þat is ȝouun to me, to alle þat ben among ȝou, for to not ſauere, or kunne, more þan it behoueþ for to kunne, but for to kunne to ſobreneſſe; and to ech man, as God haþ departid þe meſure of feiþ.

Forſoþ as in oo body we han many membris, ſoþli alle þe membris han not þe ſame acte, or dede; ſo we ben manye oo body in Criſt, ech forſoþe membris þe toþer of an oþer. Þerfore hauynge ȝiftis dyuerſinge, vp grace þat is ȝouun to vs, eþer propheſie, vp reſoun of feiþ; eþer myniſterie, or ſeruyce, in myniſtringe; eþer he þat techiþ, in techinge; he þat ſtireþ ſoftly, in exhortacioun, or moneſtinge; he þat ȝyueþ, in ſympleneſſe; he þat is byfore, or ſouereyn, in biſyneſſe; he þat haþ mercy, in gladneſſe.

Loue wiþ oute feynynge, hatynge yuel, cleuynge, or faſte drawynge, to good þing; louynge to gidere þe charite of briþerhed; comynge bifore to gidere in honour, not ſlow in biſyneſſe, feruent, or brennynge, in ſpirit, ſeruynge to þe Lord, ioyinge in hope, pacient in tribulacioun, biſy in preier, comunynge to þe nedis of ſeyntis, ſuynge, or kepinge, hoſpitalite, þat is, herboringe of pore men. Bleſſe ȝe men purſuynge ȝou; bleſſe ȝe, and nyle ȝe curſe, or warie; for to ioye wiþ men ioyinge, for to wepe wiþ men wepinge; feelynge þe ſame þing to gidere; not ſauerynge, or kunnynge, hiȝe þingis, but conſentynge to meke þingis.

Nyle ȝe be prudent anentis ȝou ſilf; to no man ȝeldinge yuel for yuel, purueyinge goode þingis, not oonly bifore God, but alſo bifore alle men. If it may be don, þat þat is of ȝou, hauynge pees wiþ alle men. Ȝe mooſt dereworþe briþeren, not defendynge, or vengynge, ȝou ſilf, but ȝyue ȝe place to ire, or wraþþe; forſoþ it is writun, Þe Lord ſeiþ, To me veniaunce, and I ſchal ȝelde aȝen. But if þin enemye ſchal hungre, feede þou him; if he þirſtiþ, ȝyue þou drynke to hym; forſoþe þou doynge þes þingis ſchalt gidere to gedre colis on his heed. Nyle þou be ouercome of yuel þing, but ouercome þou yuel þing in good þing.