Romans · Chapter 15

[ edit] Forſoþe we ſaddere owen for to ſuſteyne, or bere vp, þe febleneſſe of ſyke men, or vnſadde in feiþ, and not pleſe to vs ſilf. Ech of vs pleſe to his neiȝbore in to good, to edificacioun. And forſoþ Criſt pleſide not to hym ſilf, but, as it is writun, Þe reprouys, or ſchenſchipis, of men diſpleſinge þee, felden on me. Forſoþe what euere þingis ben writun, þei ben writun to oure techinge, þat by pacience and comfort of ſcripturis we han hope. Forſoþe God of pacience and ſolace, or comfort, ȝyue to ȝou for to vndirſtonde þe ſame þing, ech in to oþir aftir Jheſu Criſt, þat ȝe of oo wille, or witt, wiþ oo mouþ worſchipe God and þe fadir of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt.

For which þing take ȝe to gidere, as and Criſt took ȝou into þe honour of God. Soþli I ſeie Jheſu Criſt for to haue be a myniſtre of circumciſioun for þe treuþe of God, for to conferme þe biheeſtis of fadris. Soþli heþene men for to honoure God vpon mercy; as it is writun, Þerfore, Lord, I ſchal knowleche to þee in heþene men, and I ſchal ſynge to þi name. And eftſoone he ſeiþ, Glade, or ioye, ȝe heþene men wiþ his peple. And eftſoone, Alle heþene men, herye ȝe þe Lord; and alle peplis, magnyfie ȝe him. And eft Yſaie ſeiþ, Þer ſchal be a roote of Jeſſe, and heþene men ſchulen hope in him, þat ſchal ryſe for to gouerne heþene men.

Forſoþ God of hope fulfille ȝou in al ioye and pees in bileuynge, þat ȝe habounde in hope and vertu of þe Hooly Goſt. Soþeli, briþeren, and I my ſilf am certeyn of ȝou, for and ȝe ȝou ſilf ben ful of loue, ȝhe, fulfillid wiþ al ſcience, or kunnynge, ſo þat ȝe mown moneſte ech oþer. Soþeli, briþeren, more hardily I wroot to ȝou of party, as aȝen bryngynge ȝou in to mynde, for þe grace þat is ȝouun to me of God, þat I be þe myniſtre of Criſt Jheſu in heþene men; I halwinge þe goſpel of God, þat þe offringe of heþene men be maad acceptid, and halewid in þe Hooly Goſt. Þerfore I haue glorie in Criſt Jheſu to God.

Forſoþ I dar not ſpeke ony þing of þo þingis, þe whiche Criſt makiþ not by me, into obedyence of heþene men, in word and dedis, in vertu of tokenes and grete wondris, in vertu of þe Hooli Goſt, ſo þat from Jeruſalem by cumpas, or enuyroun, til vnto Illiryk I haue fulfillid þe goſpel of Criſt. Forſoþ ſo I haue prechid þis goſpel, not where Criſt was named, leſt I bilde vpon oþeris ground, but as it is writun, For to whom it is not told of him, þei ſchulen ſe, and þei þat herden not, ſchulen vndirſtonde. For which þing I was lettid ful moche for to come to ȝou, and I am forbodyn til into ȝit.

Forſoþ now I not hauynge ferþere place in þes cuntrees, ſoþli hauynge couetyſe of comynge to ȝou, of many ȝeeris now goynge bifore, whanne I ſchal bygynne for to paſſe in to Spayne, I hope þat I paſſinge forþ ſchal ſe ȝou, and of ȝou I ſchal be lad þidur, if I ſchal vſen ȝou firſt in party. Þerfore now I ſchal paſſe forþ to Jeruſalem, for to mynyſtre to ſeyntis. Forſoþ Macedonye and Achaye proueden for to make ſum collacioun, or gedrynge of moneye, in to pore men of ſeyntis, þat ben in Jeruſalem. Soþli it pleſide to hem, and þei ben dettouris of hem; forwhi if heþene men ben maad parteneris of her gooſtly þingis, þei owen and in fleiſchly þingis for to myniſtre to hem.

Þerfore whanne I ſchal ende þis þing, and aſſigne hem þis fruit, bi ȝou I ſchal paſſe into Spayne. Forſoþ I woot, þat I comynge to ȝou, ſchal come into þe haboundaunce, or plente, of þe bleſſinge of Criſt. Þerfore, briþeren, I beſeche ȝou by oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, and bi charite of þe Hooly Goſt, þat ȝe helpe me in ȝoure prayeris for me to þe Lord, þat I be delyuerid fro þe vntrewe, or vnfeiþful, men, þat ben in Judee, and þat þe offrynge of my ſeruyce be acceptid in Jeruſalem to ſeyntis; þat I come to ȝou in ioye, by þe wille of God, and þat I be refreſchid wiþ ȝou. Soþli God of pees be wiþ ȝou alle. Amen.