2 Timothy · Chapter 2

[ edit] Therfore þou, my ſone, be comfortid in grace þat is in Criſt Jheſu. And what þingis þou haſt herd of me by many witneſſis, bitake þou þeſe to feiþful men, þe whiche ſchulen be able and for to teche oþere men. Trauele þou as a good knyȝt of Criſt Jheſu. No man holdinge knyȝþod to God, inwlappiþ him ſilf wiþ worldli nedis, þat he pleſe to him, to whom he haþ prouyd him ſilf. Forwhi and he þat ſtryueþ, or fiȝtiþ, in batel, ſchal not be crowned, no but he ſchal fiȝt lawfully. It bihoueþ an erþe tilier for to reſceyue firſt of þe fruytis. Vndirſtond þou what þingis I ſeie. Soþli þe Lord ſchal ȝyue to þee in alle þingis vndirſtondyng.

Be þou myndeful þe Lord Jheſu Criſt for to haue riſyn aȝen fro deede men, of þe ſeed of Dauid, vp my goſpel, in which I trauele til to boondis, as yuel worchinge, but þe word of God is not boundyn. Þerfore I ſuſteyne alle þingis for þe choſene, þat and þei gete þe heelþe, þat is in Criſt Jheſu, wiþ heuenly glorie. A trewe word, forwhi if we ben to gidere deede, and we ſchulen lyue to gidere; if we ſchulen ſuſteyne, and we ſchulen regne to gidere; if we ſchulen denye, and he ſchal denye vs; if we bileuen not, he dwelliþ feiþful, he may not denye him ſilf. Forſoþ þes þingis I moneſte, witneſſinge bifore God.

Nyle þou ſtryue in wordis; forſoþ to no þing it is profitable, no but to þe ſubuertyng of men heeringe. Forſoþe biſyli cure, or kepe, for to ȝyue þi ſelf prouable, or able, werk man to God, vnſchamyd, or worþi not for to be ſchamed, riȝtli tretinge þe word of treuþe. Forſoþ ſchonye þou vnhooli and veyn ſpechis, ſoþli þei profiten moche to vnpite, and þe word of hem crepiþ as a kankir. Of þe which Philete is, and Imeneus, þe whiche felden doun fro þe treuþe, ſeyinge riſynge aȝen now don, and ſubuertiden þe feiþ of ſum men. But þe ſad foundement of God ſtondiþ, hauynge þis litil marke, Þe Lord haþ knowyn whiche ben hiſe, and, Ech man þat nameþ þe name of þe Lord, departiþ fro wickidneſſe.

Forſoþ in þe greet hows ben not oonli goldyn veſſels and ſilueren, but and treene and brutil, or erþeli; and ſoþli ſumme in to honour, ſumme forſoþ into diſpit. Þerfore if ony man ſchal clenſe him ſilf fro þeſe, he ſchal be a veſſel halwid into honour, and profytable to þe Lord, redy to al good work. Forſoþe fle þou þe deſyris of ȝouþe; ſoþli ſue þou riȝtwiſneſſe, feiþ, charite, pees, wiþ hem þat inclepen þe Lord of a clene herte. Forſoþ ſchonye þou foltiſche queſtiouns, and wiþoute diſciplyne, witynge for þei gendren chidingis.

Forſoþ it bihoueþ þe ſeruaunt of þe Lord for to not chyde; but for to be mylde to alle men, able for to teche, pacient, wiþ temperaunce reprouynge hem þat aȝenſtonden þe treuþe, þat ſum tyme God ȝyue hem penaunce for to knowe þe treuþe, and þei ryſe aȝen fro ſnaris of þe deuyl, of whom þei ben holdyn caytif at his wille.