Philippians · Chapter 1

[ edit] Poul and Tymoþe, ſeruauntis of Jheſu Criſt, to alle þe hooly men in Criſt Jheſu, þat ben at Philippis, wiþ biſchopis and dekenes, grace to ȝou and pees of God oure fadir, and of þe Lord Jheſu Criſt. I do þankyngis to my God in al mynde of ȝou euermore in alle my preieris for alle ȝou wiþ ioye, makynge a biſechinge on ȝoure comunynge in þe goſpel of Criſt, fro þe firſte day til now; triſtnynge þis ilke þing, for he þat bigan in ȝou a good work, ſchal performe til into þe day of Jheſu Criſt. As it is iuſt to me for to feele þis þing for alle ȝou, for þat I haue ȝou in herte, and in my boondis, and in defendyng and confermyng of þe goſpel, alle ȝou for to be felowis of my ioye.

Forſoþe God is a witneſſe to me, hou I coueite ȝou alle in þe bowelis of Jheſu Criſt. And þis þing I preye, þat ȝoure charite be plenteuous more and more in ſcience, or kunnynge, and in al witt; þat ȝe proue bettere þingis, þat ȝe be clene and wiþoute offence in þe day of Criſt; fulfillid wiþ þe fruyt of riȝtwyſneſſe by Jheſu Criſt, into þe heriynge and glorie of God. Forſoþ, briþeren, I wole ȝow for to wite, þat þe þingis þat ben aboute me han comyn more to þe profyte of þe goſpel, ſo þat my boondis weren maad knowun in Criſt, in ech moot halle, and in alle oþere placis; þat mo of briþeren in þe Lord triſtenynge in my boondis, more plenteuouſly durſten wiþ oute drede ſpeke þe word of God.

Summe forſoþ and for enuye and ſtryf, ſumme forſoþ and for good wille, prechen Criſt; ſumme forſoþ of charite, witinge for I am putt in þe defence of þe goſpel. Forſoþ ſumme of contencioun, or ſtryf, ſchewen Criſt not clenly, geſſinge hem for to reyſe preſſure to my boondis. What ſoþly? þe while in al maner, eþer by contencioun, eþer by treuþe, Criſt is ſchewid; and in þis þing I haue ioye, but and in þis þing I ſchal haue ioye. Soþli I woot, þat þis þing ſchal come to me into heelþe by ȝoure preier, and þe vndirmyniſtringe of þe ſpirit of Jheſu Criſt, vp myn abidyng and hope.

For in no þing I ſchal be confoundid, or ſchamed, but in al triſt as euermore and now, Criſt ſchal be magnyfied in my body, eþer by lyf, eþer by deeþ. Forſoþe to me for to lyue Criſt is, and for to deie wynnyng. Þat if for to lyue in fleiſch, þis is fruyt of work to me, and what I ſchal cheeſe, I knowe not. Forſoþ I am conſtreyned of twey þingis, hauynge deſyr for to be diſſolued, or departid þe ſoule fro body, and for to be wiþ Criſt, it is moche more bettere; forſoþ for to dwelle in fleiſch, it is nedeful for ȝou.

And I triſtinge þis þing, wot þat I ſchal dwelle, and parfitly dwelle to alle ȝou, to ȝoure profyit and ioye of feiþ, þat ȝoure þankyng habounde in Criſt Jheſu in me, by my comynge eftſoone to ȝou. Oonly lyue ȝe worþily to þe goſpel of Criſt, þat where I ſchal come and ſe ȝou, eþer abſent I ſchal heere of ȝou, for ȝe ſtonden in o ſpirit of o wille, trauelinge to gidere to þe feiþ of þe goſpel. And in no þing be ȝe aferd of aduerſaries, þe which is to hem cauſe of perdicioun, or of damnacioun; forſoþ to ȝou cauſe of heelþe. And þis þing of God.

For it is ȝouun to ȝou for Criſt, þat not oonly ȝe bileuen in to him, but alſo þat ȝe ſuffren for him; hauynge þe ſame ſtryf, what maner and ȝe ſyȝen in me, and now ȝe han herd of me.