1 Thessalonians · Chapter 5

[ edit] Forſoþ, briþeren, of tymes and momentis ȝe neden not þat I write to ȝou. Alſo ȝe ſilf diligentli witen, for þe day of þe Lord, as a þeef in nyȝt, ſo ſchal come. Soþli whanne þei ſchulen ſeye pees and ſikurneſſe, þanne ſudeyn periſchinge, or deeþ, ſchal come aboue to hem, as ſorwe to a womman beringe child, and þei ſchulen not ſcape. Forſoþ, briþeren, ȝe ben not in derkneſſis, þat þe ilke day as a þeef catche ȝou. Soþli alle ȝe ben þe ſones of lyȝt, and ſones of day; we ben not of nyȝt, neþir of derkneſſis. Þerfore ſlepe we not as and oþere; but wake, and be we ſobre. Forſoþ þei þat ſlepen, ſlepen in þe nyȝt, and þei þat ben drunken, ben drunken in nyȝt.

Forſoþ we þat ben of þe day, ben ſobre, cloþid þe haburioun of feiþ and charite, and þe helm, hope of heelþe. For God puttide not vs into wraþþe, but into þe purchaſyng of heelþe by oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þat was deed for vs; þat where we waken, where we ſlepen, we lyue to gidere wiþ him. For which þing be ȝe comfortid to gidere, and edifie ȝe ech oþir, as and ȝe don. Forſoþ, briþeren, we preien ȝou, þat ȝe ſchulen knowe hem þat trauelen among ȝou, and ben bifore to ȝou in þe Lord, and moneſten, or techen, ȝou, þat ȝe haue hem more haboundantli in charite; for þe work of hem, haue ȝe pees wiþ hem. Forſoþ, briþeren, we preien ȝou, reproue, or chaſtyſe, ȝe vnquyete men.

Comforte ȝe men of litil herte, reſceyue ȝe ſyke men, be ȝe pacient to alle men. Se ȝe, þat no man ȝelde yuel for yuel; but euermore ſue ȝe þat þat is good, to gidere and into alle men. Euermore ioye ȝe; wiþ oute ceeſſynge preie ȝe; in alle þingis do ȝe þankyngis. Forſoþe þis is þe wille of God in Criſt Jheſu, and in alle ȝou. Nyle ȝe quenche þe ſpirit; nyle ȝe diſpiſe prophecies. Forſoþ proue ȝe alle þingis, holde ȝe þat þing þat is good. Abſteyne ȝou fro al yuel ſpice, or likneſſe. Forſoþe þe ſame God of pees make ȝou hooly by alle þingis, þat ȝoure ſpirit be kept hool, and ſoule, and body, wiþ oute playnt, in þe comynge of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt.

God is trewe, þat clepide ȝou, þe which alſo ſchal do. Briþeren, preie ȝe for vs. Greete ȝe wel alle briþeren in hooly coſſ. I coniure ȝou by þe Lord, þat þis piſtle be rad to alle hooly briþeren. Þe grace of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt be wiþ ȝou alle. Amen. Here endiþ þe firſte piſtle to Teſſalonycenſis, and bigynneþ þe prologe to þe ſecunde piſtle.