1 Thessalonians · Chapter 2

[ edit] Forwhi ȝe witen, briþeren, oure entre to ȝou, for it was not veyn; but firſt we ſuffrid, and punyſchid wiþ wrongis, or fals reprouyng, as ȝe witen in Philippis, hadden truſt in oure Lord, for to ſpeke to ȝou þe goſpel of God in moche byſyneſſe. Soþli oure exortacioun, or techinge, not of errour, neþer of vnclenneſſe, neþer in gile, but as we ben proued of God, þat þe goſpel ſchulde be takyn to vs, ſo we ſpeken; not as pleſynge to men, but to God þat proueþ oure hertis.

Forſoþ neþir we weren ony tyme in word of gloſyng, as ȝe witen, neþer in occaſioun of auarice; God is witneſſe; neþir ſekinge glorie of men, neþir of ȝou, neþir of oþere, whanne we myȝten be to charge to ȝou, as Criſtis apoſtelis. But we ben maad litle in þe myddil of ȝou, as if a noryſe foſtre hir ſones; ſo we deſyringe ȝou coueityngly, or wiþ greet loue, wolden bitake to ȝou, not oonly þe goſpel of God, but alſo oure ſoules, or lyues, for ȝe ben maad to vs mooſt dereworþe.

Forſoþe, briþeren, ȝe ben myndeful of oure traueil and weryneſſe; nyȝt and day we worchinge, þat we ſchulden not greue ony of ȝou, prechiden in ȝou þe euangelie of God. Ȝe ben witneſſis, and God, how hoolily, and iuſtli, and wiþouten querel, or pleynt, to ȝou þat bileueden, we weren. As ȝe witen, how ech of ȝou, as þe fadir his ſones, preiynge and comfortynge ȝou, we han witneſſid, þat ȝe ſchulden go worþili to God, þat clepide ȝou into his kyngdom and glorie. Þerfore and we don þankingis to God wiþ oute ceeſſinge. For whanne ȝe hadden takun of vs þe word of þe heringe of God, ȝe token it not as þe word of men, but as it is verily, þe word of God, þat worchiþ in ȝou þat han bileued.

Soþli, briþeren, ȝe ben maad foloweris of þe chirchis of God, þat ben in Judee, in Criſt Jheſu, for and ȝe han ſuffrid þe ſame þinges of ȝoure euene lynagis, as and þei of Jewis. Þe whiche ſlowen and þe Lord Jheſu and þe prophetis, and purſuwen vs, and þei pleſen not to God, and to alle men þei ben aduerſaries; forbedinge vs for to ſpeke to heþen men, þat þe heþen men be maad ſaaf, þat þei fulfille her ſynnes euermore; forſoþ þe wraþþe of God bifore cam vpon hem til into þe ende. Forſoþ, briþeren, we deſolat fro ȝou at þe tyme of an hour, in bihooldynge, not in herte, more plenteuouſly han hiȝed for to ſe ȝoure face wiþ greet deſyr.

For we wolden come to ȝou, ſoþeli I Poul, and oones and eftſoone, but Saþanas lettide vs. Soþli what is oure hope, or ioye, or crowne of glorie? Wher ȝe ben not bifore oure Lord Jheſu Criſt in his comynge? Forſoþ ȝe ben oure glorie and ioye.