1 Corinthians · Chapter 10

[ edit] Soþeli, briþeren, I nyle ȝou for to vnknowe, for alle oure fadris weren vndir cloude, and alle paſſiden þe ſee; and alle ben baptyſid in Moyſes, in þe cloude and in þe ſee; and alle eeten þe ſame ſpiritual breed, and alle dronken þe ſame ſpiritual drynke; forſoþ þei dronken of þe ſpiritual, a ſtoon folowynge hem; forſoþ þe ſtoon was Criſt. But not in ful manye of hem it was wel pleſant to God; forwhi þei ben caſt doun in þe deſert. Forſoþ þes þingis ben don in figure of vs, þat we ben not coueyteris of yuelis, as and þei coueitiden.

Neiþir be ȝe maad ydolatreris, þat is, worſchiperis of falſe mawmetis, as ſumme of hem; as it is writun, Þe peple ſat for to ete and drynke, and þei han riſun vp for to pleie. Neiþer do we fornycacioun, as ſumme of hem diden fornycacioun, and þre and twenty þouſandis felden, or deieden, in o day. Neiþer tempte we Criſt, as ſumme of hem temptiden, and periſcheden of ſerpentis. Neiþer grucche ȝe, as ſumme of hem grucchiden, and þei periſchiden of a waſtour, or diſtrier. Forſoþe alle þes þingis felden to hem in figure; ſoþli þei ben writun to oure coreccioun, or amendynge, in to whom þe endis of þe world han comen. And ſo he þat geſſiþ him for to ſtonde, ſe, þat he falle not.

Temptacioun take not ȝou, no but mannus; forſoþ God is trewe, þe which ſchal not ſuffre ȝou for to be temptid ouer þat þat ȝe mown; but he ſchal make wiþ temptacioun alſo puruyaunce, þat ȝe mown ſuſteyne. Wherfore, ȝe mooſt dereworþe to me, fle fro worſchipinge of ydols. As to prudent men I ſpeke, ȝe ȝou ſilf deme þat þing þat I ſeye. Þe cuppe of bleſſynge þe which we bleſſen, wher it is not þe comenynge of Criſtis blood? and þe breed which we breken, wher it is not þe delynge, or part takynge, of þe body of þe Lord? For o breed and o body we manye ben, alle we þat taken part of o breed and of o cuppe.

Se ȝe Iſrael aftir þe fleiſch, wher þei þat eten ooſtis, or ſacrifices, ben not parceneris of þe auter? What þerfore ſeye I, þat þing offrid to ydols is ony þing, or þat þe ydole is ony þing? But þo þingis þat heþene men offren, þei offren to deuelis, and not to God. Forſoþ I nyle ȝou for to be maad felowis of fendis; for ȝe mown not drynke þe cuppe of þe Lord, and þe cuppe of fendis; ȝe mown not be parceneris of þe boord of þe Lord, and of þe boord of fendis. Wher we ſuwen by enuye þe Lord? wher we ben ſtrengere þan he? Alle þingis ben leefful to me, but not alle þingis ſpeden. Alle þingis ben leefful, but not alle þingis edifyen.

No man ſeke þat þing þat is his owne, but þat þing þat is of anoþer. Al þing þat comeþ in þe bocherie, ete ȝe, no þing axynge for conſcience. Þe erþe and þe plente of it, is þe Lordis. Forſoþ if ony of vnfeiþful, or heþen men, clepiþ ȝou to ſouper, and ȝe wolen go, al þing þat is ſett to ȝou, ete ȝe, noþing axynge for conſcience. If ony man ſoþli ſchal ſeie, Þis þing is offrid to ydols, nyle ȝe ete, for him þat ſchewide, and for conſcience; forſoþe I ſeie not, þi conſcience, but of anoþir. Soþli wherto is my liberte, or freedom, demyd of anoþir mannus conſcience? Þerfore if I take part wiþ grace, what am I blasfemyd, for þat I do graces, or þankyngis?

Þerfore where ȝe eten, or drynken, or don any oþir þing, do ȝe alle þingis in to glorie of God. Be ȝe wiþoute offencioun, or ſclaundre, to Jewis, and heþene men, and to þe chirche of God; as and I by alle þingis pleſe to alle men, not ſechinge what is profitable to me, but þat þat to many men, þat þei be maad ſaaf.