2 Corinthians · Chapter 12

[ edit] If it bihoueþ for to glorie, ſoþli it ſpediþ not; forſoþ I ſchal come to þe viſyouns and reuelaciouns of þe Lord. I woot a man in Criſt bifore fourtene ȝeer; wher in body, wher out of body, I woot not, God woot; ſich a man rauyſchid til to þe þridde heuene. And I woot ſuch a man; wher in body, or out of body, I noot, God woot; for he was rauyſchid into paradys, and herde priuey wordes, þe whiche it is not leefful to a man for to ſpeke. For ſich maner þing I ſchal glorie; forſoþe for me no þing, no but in myn infirmitees.

Forwhi and if I ſchal wilne for to glorie, I ſchal not be vnwys; ſoþli I ſchal ſeye treuþe; forſoþ I ſpare, leſt ony man geſſe me ouer þat þing þat he ſeeþ in me, or heeriþ ony þing of me. And leſt þe greetneſſe of reuelaciouns enhaunce me in pride, þe pricke of fleiſch, an aungel of Saþanas, is ȝouun to me, þe which boffatiþ me. For which þing þries I preide þe Lord, þat it ſchuld go awey fro me. And he ſeide to me, My grace ſufficiþ to þee; forwhi vertu is perfitly maad in infirmite. Þerfore gladly I ſchal glorie in myn infirmytees, þat þe vertu of Criſt dwelle in me.

For which þing I pleſe to me in myn infirmitees, in wrong diſpiſyngis, or reprouyngis, in nedis, in perſecuciouns, in angwyſchis, for Criſt; ſoþli whanne I am ſyk, þanne I am myȝty. I am maad vnwitty, ȝe conſtreyneden me. Forſoþ I ſchulde, or owȝte, for to be comendid of ȝou; ſoþli I dide no þing leſſe fro hem þat ben apoſtlis aboue manere. Forwhi þouȝ I be nouȝt, neþelees þe ſygnes of myn apoſtilhed ben maad on ȝou, in al pacience, and ſingnes, or miraclis, and grete wondris, and vertues. Soþli what is it, þat ȝe hadden laſſe bifore oþere chirchis, no but þat I my ſilf greuyde ȝou not? Forȝyue ȝe to me þis wrong.

Loo! þis þridde tyme I am redy for to come to ȝou, and I ſchal not be greuous to ȝou; forſoþe I ſeke not þo þingis þat ben ȝoure, but ȝou. Forſoþ neþir ſones owen to treſoure, or make treſour, to fadir and modir, but þe fadir and modir to þe ſones. Forſoþ I mooſt wilfully ſchal ȝyue, and I my ſilf ſchal be ouerȝouun for ȝoure ſoulis; þouȝ I more louynge, be leſſe loued. But be it; I greuyd not ȝou, but whanne I was ſutil wyſe, I took ȝou wiþ gyle. Wher I diſceyuede ȝou by ony of hem, þe whiche I ſente to ȝou? I preiede Tyte, and I ſente wiþ him a broþir. Wher Tyte bigylide ȝou? wher we gon not in þe ſame ſpiryt? wher not in þe ſame ſteppis?

Sum tyme ȝe wenen, þat we ſchulen excuſe vs anentis ȝou. Bifore God in Criſt we ſpeken; forſoþe, mooſt dere briþeren, alle þingis for ȝoure edyfyinge. Soþeli I drede, leſt perauenture whanne I ſchal come, I ſchal fynde ȝou not which manere I wole, and I ſchal be founde of ȝow which maner ȝe wolen not; leſt perauenture ſtryuyngis, enuyes, ſturdyneſſis, diſſenciouns and detracciouns, priuey ſpechis of diſcord, bolnynges bi pride, debatis be among ȝou; leſt eftſoone whanne I ſchal come, God make me louȝ anentis ȝou, and I weyle manye of hem, þat bifore ſynneden, and diden not penaunce of þe vnclenneſſe, and fornycacioun, and vnchaſtite, þat þei han don.