1 Timothy · Chapter 3

[ edit] A feiþful word. If ony man deſyre a byſchopriche, he deſyriþ a good werk. Þerfore it bihoueþ a byſchop for to be irreprehenſyble, or wiþoute reproue, and þe hoſebonde of oo wyf, ſobre, prudent, ourned, chaſt, holdynge hoſpitalite, techer; not ȝouun moche to wyn, not ſmyter, but temperaunt, or pacient, not litigious, or ful of ſtryf, or chidyng, not coueitous, wel rewlynge his hous, hauynge ſones ſuget wiþ al chaſtite; forſoþ if ony man kan not gouerne his hous, how ſchal he haue diligence of þe chirche of God? not newe conuertid into feiþ, leſt he borun vp into pride, falle into þe dom, or ſynne, of þe deuyl.

Forſoþ it bihoueþ hym for to haue good witneſſyng and of hem þat ben wiþoute forþ, þat he falle not into ſchenſchip, or reprof, and into þe ſnare of þe deuyl. Alſo it byhoueþ dekenes for to be chaſt, not dowble tungid, not ȝouun to moche wyn, not ſuynge foul wynnyng; hauynge þe myſterie of feiþ in clene conſcience. And forſoþ be þei proued firſt, þat þei mynyſtre ſo, hauynge no cryme, or greet ſynne. Alſo it bihoueþ wymmen for to be chaſt, not bacbitinge, ſobre, feiþful in alle þingis. Dekenes be þei hoſebondis of o wyf; þe whiche dekenes gouerne wel her ſones and her houſis.

Soþli þei þat ſchulen myniſtre wel, ſchulen gete a good degree to hem ſilf, and moche triſt in þe feiþ, þat is in Criſt Jheſu. Sone Tymoþe, I write to þee þes þingis, hopinge me for to come ſoone to þee; forſoþ if I ſchal tarie, þat þou wite, how it bihoueþ þee for to lyue in þe hous of God, þat is þe chirche of quyk God, a piler and ſadneſſe of treuþe. And opynly it is a greet ſacrament of pite, þat þat is ſchewid in fleiſch, is iuſtified in ſpirit, it apperide to aungels, it is prechid to heþen men, it is byleuyd in þe world, it is takyn vp in glorie.