1 Timothy · Chapter 4

[ edit] Forſoþ þe ſpirit ſeiþ opynli, for in þe laſte tymes ſumme ſchulen departe fro þe feiþ, ȝyuynge tent to ſpiritis of errour, and to techingis of deuels; in ypocriſye ſpekinge leſyng, and hauynge her conſcience brent, forbedynge for to wedde, for to abſteyne fro metis, þe whiche God made of noȝt for to take wiþ doynge of þankingis, to feiþful men, and hem þat han knowen þe treuþe. For ech creature of God is good, and no þing is to be caſt awey, þe which is takun wiþ doynge of þankingis; forſoþ it is halwid by þe word of God, and by preier.

Þou puttinge forþ þeſe þingis to briþeren, ſchalt be a good myniſtre of Criſt Jheſu; þou noriſchid wiþ wordis of feiþ and of good doctryne, þat þou haſt gete in ſuynge. Forſoþe ſchonye þou vncouenable fablis and veyn; ſoþli haunte þi ſilf to pite. Forwhi bodili excercitacioun, or traueling, or abſtinence, to litil þing is profytable; forſoþ pite is profytable to alle þingis, hauynge biheeſte of lyf þat now is, and to comynge. A trewe word, and worþi al accepcioun. Soþli in þis þing we traueilen, and ben curſid, for we hopen in quyk God, þat is ſauyour of alle men, mooſt of feiþful men. Comaunde þou þis þing, and teche.

No man diſpiſe þi ȝongþe, but be þou enſaumple of feiþful men in word, in lyuynge, in charite, in feiþ, in chaſtite. Þe while I come, taak tent to redinge, to exortacioun, or moneſtyng, and teching. Nyle þou diſpiſe, or litil charge, þe grace of God þat is in þee, þat is ȝouun to þee by prophecie, wiþ puttynge to of hondis of preſtis, or preſþod. Þenk þou þes þingis, in þeſe be þou, þat þi profytyng be ſchewid, or knowun, to alle men. Tak tent to þi ſilf and doctryn; be biſy in hem. Soþli þou doynge þes þingis, ſchalt make þi ſilf ſaf, and hem þat heeren þee.