Ephesians · Chapter 4

[ edit] And ſo I bounden in þe Lord byſeche, þat ȝe walke worþily in þe clepinge, in which ȝe ben clepid, wiþ al mekeneſſe and myldeneſſe, wiþ pacience ſupportinge to gidere in charite, biſy for to kepe vnite of ſpirit in þe bond of pees. O body and o ſpirit, as ȝe ben clepid in oon hope of ȝoure clepinge; o Lord, o feiþ, o baptym, o God and fadir of alle, þe which is aboue alle men, and by alle þingis, and in vs alle. To ech of vs grace is ȝouun vp þe meſure of þe ȝyuynge of Criſt; for which þing he ſeiþ, He ſtyȝinge into hiȝ, ledde caitifte caytif, or pryſonynge priſoned, he ȝaf ȝiftis to men.

Forſoþ þat he aſſendide, what is it, no but for he deſſendide firſt into þe lowere partis of þe erþe? He it is þat cam down, and þat ſtiȝede vp on alle heuenes, þat he ſchulde fulfille alle þingis.

And he ȝaf ſumme ſoþeli apoſtlis, ſumme forſoþ prophetis, oþere forſoþe euangeliſtis, oþere forſoþ ſchepherdis and techeris, to þe ful endynge of ſeyntis, into þe work of myniſterie, into edificacioun of Criſtis body, til we rennen alle, in vnyte of feiþ and of knowynge of Goddis ſone, into a parfyt man, into þe meſure of age of þe plente of Criſt; þat we ben not now litile children, mouynge as wawis, and be borun aboute wiþ al wynd of techinge, in þe weywardneſſe of men, in ſutil witt, to þe diſceyuynge of errour.

Forſoþ we doynge treuþe in charite, wexen in him bi alle þingis, þat is Criſt þe heed; of whom al þe body ſett to gidere, and boundyn to gidere by ech ioynture of vndirſeruyng, vp worching into meſure of ech membre, makiþ encreſynge of þe body, into edificacioun of it in charite. Þerfore þis þing I ſeie, and witneſſe it in þe Lord, þat ȝe walke not now, as and heþen men walken, in þe vanyte of her witt, in derkneſſis; hauynge vndirſtondyng derkened, alyened, or maad ferr, fro þe lyf of God, bi ignoraunce, or vnkunnynge, þat is in hem, for þe blyndneſſe of her herte. Þei diſpeiringe bitoken hem ſilf to vnchaſtite, in to worchinge of al vnclenneſſe in coueityſe.

Forſoþe ȝe han not ſo lerud Criſt, if neþelees ȝe herden hym, and ben tauȝt in him, as is treuþe in Jheſu. Do ȝe awey vp þe firſte lyuyng þe olde man, þat is corupt vp þe deſyris of errour; forſoþ be ȝe renewid, or maad newe aȝen, by ſpirit of ȝoure mynde; and cloþe ȝe þe newe man, þat vp God is maad of noȝt in riȝtwyſneſſe and hoolyneſſe of treuþe. For which þing ȝe puttinge awey leeſyng, ſpeke treuþe ech man wiþ his neiȝbore, for we ben membris to gidere. Be ȝe wroþ, and nyle ȝe ſynne; þe ſunne falle not down on ȝoure wraþþe. Nyle ȝe ȝyue ſtede to þe deuel.

He þat ſtaal, now ſtele not; more forſoþ traueile he in worchinge wiþ his hondis þat þat is good þing, þat he haue wherof he ſchal ȝyue to a man ſuffringe nede. Ech yuel word go not out of ȝoure mouþ; but if ony is good to edificacioun of feiþ, þat it ȝyue grace to men heeringe. And nyle ȝe make þe Hooly Goſt of God ſori, or heuy, in þe which ȝe ben markid in þe day of redempcioun. Al bitterneſſe, and wraþþe, and indignacioun, and cry, and blaſphemye be takun awey fro ȝou, wiþ al malice; forſoþ be ȝe to gidere benygne, or of good will, mercyful, ȝyuynge to gidere, as and God ȝaf to ȝou in Criſt.