2 Corinthians · Chapter 10

[ edit] Forſoþ I Poul biſeche ȝou, by þe homlyneſſe, or myldeneſſe, and ſofteneſſe, or pacience, of Criſt, þe which ſoþely in þe face am meek among ȝou, forſoþ I abſent triſte in ȝou. Forſoþe, briþeren, I preie ȝou, þat I preſent be not hardy by þe ilke triſt, in which I am geſſid for to be hardy in to ſumme, þe whiche deme vs, as we wandren vp þe fleiſch. Forſoþ we walkynge in fleiſch, fiȝten not, or holden not knyȝþod, vp þe fleiſch.

Forwhi þe armers of oure knyȝþod ben not fleiſchly, but myȝty to God to þe deſtruccioun of wardingis, or ſtrengþis; we diſtroyinge counceils, and al hiȝneſſe reyſinge him aȝens þe ſcience of God, and dryuynge into caytifte al vndirſtondinge into þe ſeruyſe of Criſt; alſo hauynge in redyneſſe for to venge al vnobedience, whanne ȝoure obedience ſchal be fulfillid. Se ȝe þe þingis þat ben vpon þe face. If ony man triſtiþ to him ſilf, him for to be of Criſt, þenke he þis þing eft anentis himſilf, for as he is Criſtis, ſo and we. Forwhi and if I ſchal glorie ony þing more of oure power, þe which þe Lord ȝaf to vs into edifyinge, and not into ȝoure diſtruccioun, I ſchal not ſchame.

Forſoþe þat I be not geſſid as for to feere ȝou by epiſtlis, forwhi þei ſeyn, Þe epiſtlis ben heuye, or greuouſe, and ſtrong, but þe preſence of body ſijk, and þe word contemptible, or worþi for to be diſpyſid. He þat is ſuch maner man, þenke þis, for what maner men we ben abſent by epiſtlis, ſuche maner men vs preſent in dede. Soþli we doren not putte vs among, or compariſowne vs to ſumme, þat comenden hem ſilf; but we metinge, or meſuringe, vs in vs ſilf, and compariſownynge vs ſilf to vs, ſoþli we ſchulden not glorie into ful moche, but vp þe meſure of reule, bi which God meſuride to vs, þe meſure of ſtrecchinge til to ȝou. Forſoþ not as we not ſtrecchinge to ȝou, ouerholden vs.

Forſoþ til to ȝou we camen in þe goſpel of Criſt, not gloryinge into ful moche in oþere mennis trauelis. Soþly we hauynge hope of ȝoure feiþ waxynge in ȝou for to be magnyfied vp oure reule in haboundaunce, alſo for to preche into þo þingis þat ben byȝondes ȝou, not for to glorie in oþir mennis reule, in þes þingis þat ben maad redy. Forſoþe he þat glorieþ, glorie in þe Lord. Forſoþ not he þat comendiþ him ſilf is proued, but whom God comendiþ, or preiſiþ.