1 Corinthians · Chapter 4

[ edit] So a man geſſe, or deme, vs, as myniſtris of Criſt, and diſpenderis of þe myniſteries of God. Now it is ſouȝt here a mong þe diſpenderis, þat a man be founden trewe. Forſoþ to me it is for þe leeſte þing, þat I be demyd of ȝou, or of mannis day; but neþir I deme my ſilf. Soþli I am no þing gilty to my ſilf, but not in þis þing I am iuſtified; forſoþ he þat demeþ me, is þe Lord. And ſo nyle ȝe deme bi fore þe tyme, til þat þe Lord come, þe which and ſchal aliȝtne þe hid þingis of derkneſſis, and ſchal ſchewe þe counceils of hertis; and þanne preiſynge ſchal be to ech man of God.

Soþeli, briþeren, þis þing I haue transfigurid in to me and in to Apollo; þat in vs ȝe lerne, leſt þat ouer þat it is writun, oon aȝens anoþir be inblowyn wiþ pride for anoþir man. Who forſoþ demeþ þee? What ſoþli haſt þou, þat þou haſt not reſſeyued? Soþli if þou haſt reſſeyued, what glorieſt þou, as þou haddiſt not reſſeyued? Now ȝe ben fulfillid, now ȝe ben maad ryche; ȝe regnen wiþ oute vs; and I wolde ȝe regne, þat and we regneden wiþ ȝou. Soþli I wene, þat God ſchewide vs þe laſte apoſtelis, as maad redy to deeþ; for we ben maad a ſpectacle to þe world, and to aungels, and to men. We foolis for Criſt, ȝe forſoþe prudent in Criſt; we ſyke, ȝe forſoþe ſtronge; ȝe noble, we forſoþ vnnoble.

Til into þis hour and we hungren, and þirſten, and ben nakid, and ben ſmytun wiþ boffatis, and we ben vnſtable, and we trauelen worchinge wiþ oure hondis; we ben curſid, and we bleſſen; we ſuffren perſecucioun, and we ſuſteynen, or abyden longe; we ben blasfemyd, and we biſechen; as clenſyngis of þis world we ben maad, þe paringis, or outcaſtinge, of alle þingis til ȝit. I write not þes þingis, þat I confounde ȝou, but I amoneſte, or warne, as my mooſt dereworþe ſones. Forwhi if ȝe han ten þouſandis of litle maiſtris in Criſt Jheſu, but not manye fadris; forwhi in Criſt Jheſu I haue gendrid ȝou by þe goſpel. Þerfore I preie ȝou, be ȝe foloweris of me, as and I of Criſt.

Þerfore I ſente to ȝou Tymoþe, þat is my mooſte dereworþe ſone, and feiþful in þe Lord, þe which ſchal moneſte ȝou, or teche, my weyes, þat ben in Criſt Jheſu; as I teche euerywhere in ech chirche. As I be not to come to ȝou, ſo ſummen ben ynblowen wiþ pride; I ſchal come to ȝou ſoone, if God ſchal wylne; and I ſchal knowe not þe word of hem þat ben ynblowen wiþ pride, but þe vertu. Soþli þe rewme of God is not in word, but in vertu. What wolen ȝe? Schal I come to ȝou in a ȝerd, or in charite, and in ſpirit of bonerneſſe, or myldeneſſe?