Ephesians · Chapter 5

[ edit] Therfore be ȝe foloweris of God, as mooſt dereworþe ſones; and walke ȝe in loue, as and Criſt louede vs, and ȝaf him ſilf for vs an offryng and ſacrifice to God, in to þe odour of ſwetneſſe. Fornycacioun forſoþ, and al vnclenneſſe, or auarice, be not named in ȝou, as it bicomeþ hooly men; eþer filþe, or foly ſpeche, or harlotrie, þat perteyneþ not to þing, but more doynge of þankyngis. Forſoþ þis þing wyte ȝe, vndirſtondinge þat ech fornycatour, or vnclene man, or coueytous, þat is ſeruage of ydols, or mawmetis, haþ not heritage in þe kingdom of Criſt and God. No man diſceyue ȝou by veyne wordis; forſoþ for þes þingis þe wraþþe of God cam into þe ſones of vntriſt, or vnbileue.

Þerfore nyle ȝe be maad parteneris of hem. Forſoþ ȝe weren ſum tyme derkneſſis, now forſoþ ȝe ben liȝt in þe Lord. Walke ȝe as ſones of liȝt. Forſoþe þe fruyt of liȝt is in al goodneſſe, and riȝtwyſneſſe, and treuþe; prouynge what is wel pleſynge to God. And nyle ȝe comune to vnfruytouſe workes of derkneſſis; forſoþe more reproue ȝe. Forſoþe what þingis ben don of hem and in priuey, it is foul and for to ſeye. Forſoþ alle þingis þat ben prouyd of þe liȝt, ben maad opyn; forſoþ al þing þat is ſchewid, is liȝt. For which þing he ſeiþ, Ryſe þou þat ſlepiſt, and ryſe vp fro deede þingis, and Criſt ſchal illumyne þee.

And ſo, briþeren, ſe ȝe, how warly ȝe ſchulen go; not as vnwyſe men, but as wyſe men, aȝen byinge tyme, for þe dayes ben yuele. Þerfore nyle ȝe be maad vnprudent, but vndirſtondinge which is þe will of þe Lord. And nyle ȝe be fulfillid, or be drunkun, wiþ wyn, in which luxurie is, but be ȝe fulfillid wiþ þe Hooly Goſt; ſpekinge to ȝou ſilf in pſalmes, and ymnes, and ſpiritual ſongis, ſyngynge and ſeyinge pſalme in ȝoure hertis to þe Lord; euermore doynge þankyngis for alle þingis in þe name of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt to God and þe fadir, ȝe ſuget to gidere in þe drede of Criſt.

Be wymmen ſuget to her men, or houſbondis, as to þe Lord; for þe man is heed of þe womman, as Criſt is heed of þe chirche; he ſauyour of his body. But as þe chirche is ſuget to Criſt, ſo and wymmen to her houſebondis in alle þingis. Men, loue ȝe ȝoure wyues, as and Criſt louede þe chirche, and ȝaf him ſilf for it, þat he ſchulde make it hooly; clenſynge it wiþ þe waiſching ſtoon of watir, in þe word of lyf; þat he ſchulde ȝyue þe chirche glorious to him ſilf, not hauynge wem, or ſpot, or ryuelyng, or ony ſuch þing, but þat it be hooli and vndefoulid. So and men ſchulen loue her wyues, as her owne bodies.

He þat loueþ his wyf, loueþ him ſilf; forſoþ no man hatide euere his fleiſch, but noriſchiþ and foſtriþ it, as and Criſt doþ þe chirche. For we ben membris of his body, of his fleiſch, and of his boones. For þis þing a man ſchal forſake his fadir and his modir, and he ſchal clyue to his wyf; and þei ſchulen be tweyne in o fleiſch. Forſoþ þis ſacrament is greet; forſoþ I ſeye in Criſt, and in his chirche. Neþeles and ȝe alle, ech man loue his wyf as him ſilf; forſoþ þe wyf drede hir hoſebonde.