2 Corinthians · Chapter 8

[ edit] Briþeren, forſoþe we maken knowe to ȝou þe grace of God, þat is ȝouun in þe chirchis of Macedonye, and þat in moche aſayinge of tribulacioun, þe haboundaunce, or plente, of þe ioye of hem was, and þe hiȝeſte pouert of hem was plenteuous into þe richeſſis of þe ſympleneſſe of hem. For I bere witneſſinge and to hem, vp vertu, or power, and aboue vertu þei weren wilful, wiþ moche moneſtynge biſechinge vs þe grace and comenynge of mynyſterie, þat is maad in to hooly men. And not as we hopiden, but þei ȝauen hem ſilf firſt to þe Lord, aftirward to vs by þe wille of God. So þat we preieden Tyte, þat as he bigan, ſo and he perfoorme in ȝou alſo þis grace.

But as ȝe abounden in alle þingis, in feiþ, word, and ſcience, or kunnynge, and al biſyneſſe, moreouer and in ȝoure charite in to vs, þat and in þis grace ȝe habounde. I ſeie not as comaundinge, but by þe biſyneſſe of oþere men alſo prouynge to gidere þe good wit of ȝoure charite. Soþli ȝe witen þe grace of oure Lord Jheſu Chriſt, forwhi he was made nedy for vs, whanne he was ryche, þat ȝe ſchulden be maad ryche by his myſeſte, or nedyneſſe. And I ȝyue counceil in þis þing; ſoþli þis is profitable to ȝou, þat not oonly bigynnen for to do, but and for to wilne fro þe formere ȝeer.

Now forſoþe and in dede performe ȝe, þat as þe ynwitt of wil is redy, ſo be it and of performynge of þat þing þat ȝe han. Soþli if þe wille be redy, it is acceptid vp þat þat it haþ, not vp þat þat it haþ not. Forſoþ not þat it be remyſſioun, or ſlouþe, to oþere, forſoþ to ȝou tribulacioun; but of eueneſſe, in þe preſent tyme ȝoure haboundaunce fulfille þe myſeſte of hem, þat and þe haboundaunce of hem be ſupplement, or fulfillinge, of ȝoure myſeſte, þat eueneſſe be maad; as it is writun, He þat haþ moche, haboundide not, and he þat litil, hadde not laſſe.

Forſoþ I do þankyngis to God, þat ȝaf þe ſame byſyneſſe for ȝou in þe herte of Tyte, for ſoþeli he reſceyuede exortacioun, or moneſtynge; but whanne he was biſyere, wiþ his wille he wente forþ to ȝou. Forſoþ we ſenten wiþ hym oure broþer, whos preiſynge is in þe goſpel by alle chirchis. Forſoþ not oonly, but and he is ordeyned of chirchis þe felowe of oure pilgrymage into þis grace, þat is mynyſtrid of vs to þe glorie of þe Lord, and to oure ordeyned wille; eſchewinge þis þing, þat no man blame, or diſpiſe, vs in þis plente, þat is mynyſtrid of vs to þe glorie of þe Lord. Soþli we purueyen goode þingis, not oonly bifore God, but alſo bifore alle men.

Forſoþ we ſenten wiþ hem and oure broþer, whom we han prouyd in manye þingis ofte, for to be biſy, now forſoþ moche biſyer, in moche triſt in ȝou, eþir for Tyte, þat is my felowe, and in ȝou helpere, eþer oure briþeren, apoſtlis of chirchis of þe glorie of Criſt. Þerfor ſchewe ȝe in to þe faces of chirchis, þe ſchewynge þat is of ȝoure charite and of oure glorie for ȝou into hem.