1 Peter · Chapter 1

[ edit] Petre, apoſtle of Jheſu Criſt, to þe choſen geſtis, or comelingis, of diſperſioun, or ſcateringe abrood, of Ponte, of Galaþie, of Capadoſie, of Aſye, and of Bitynye, vp þe preſcience, or bifore knowinge, of God, þe fadir, in to halewinge of þe ſpirit, in to obedience, and ſprengynge of þe blood of Jheſu Criſt, grace and pees to ȝou be multiplied.

Bleſſid be God, and þe fadir of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þe which vp his greet mercy aȝen gendride vs in to quik hope, bi þe aȝen rijſyng of Jheſu Criſt fro deede men, in to heritage vncorruptible, and vndefoulid, and vnwelewable, þat ſhal not fade, kept in heuenes in ȝou, þat in þe vertu of God ben kept bi þe feiþ in to helþe, maad redy for to be ſhewid in þe laſt tyme. In which ȝe ſhulen ioye, if it bihoueþ now a litel for to be ſory in diuerſe temptaciouns; þat þe prouyng of ȝoure feiþ be miche preciouſer þan gold, þat is proued bi fijr; be it founde in to heriyng, and glory, and honour, in to þe reuelacioun of Jheſu Criſt.

Whom whan ȝe han not ſeyn, ȝe louen; in to whom alſo now ȝe not ſeynge, bileuen; forſoþe ȝe bileuynge ſhulen haue ioye wiþ oute forþ in gladneſſe vnenarraable, þat mai not be told out, and glorified, bringynge aȝen þe ende of ȝoure feiþ, þe helþe of ȝoure ſoulis. Of whiche helþe profetes ſouȝten out, and enſerchiden, þat prophecieden of þe grace to comyng in ȝou, ſekinge which or what maner tyme þe ſpirit of Criſt ſignyfiede in hem, bifore tellinge þe paſſiouns, þat ben in Criſt, and latter glories.

To whom it is ſhewid, for not to hem ſilf, ſoþeli to ȝou þei myniſtriden þo þingis, þat now ben told to ȝou bi hem þat euangelizeden to ȝou þe Holy Gooſt ſent fro heuene, in to whom aungels deſijren for to biholde. For whiche þing be ȝe gyrd þe leendes of ȝoure ſoule, ſobre, parfijt, hope in to þe ilke grace þat is offrid to ȝou in to þe reuelacioun, or ſhewinge, of Jheſu Criſt, as ſones of obedience, not to gydere liknyd to þe former deſijris of ȝoure ignoraunſe, but vp him þat clepid ȝou holy; þat and ȝoure ſilf be holy in al lyuynge; for it is write, Ȝe ſhulen be holy, for I am holy.

And if ȝe inclepen him fadir, þe whiche wiþ oute accepcioun of perſonys demeþ vp þe werk of eche man, lyue ȝe in drede in tyme of ȝoure pilgrimage, or litel dwellinge in erþe; witinge þat not bi corruptible gold, or ſiluer, ȝe ben bouȝt aȝen of ȝoure veyn lyuynge of fadirs tradicioun, but bi þe precious blood of þe lomb vndefoulid and vnſpottid, Criſt Jheſu, bifore knowun ſoþeli bifore þe making of þe world, forſoþe ſhewid in þe laſte tymes, for ȝou, þat bi hym ben feiþful in God; þat reiſide him fro deede men, and ȝaf to him euerlaſtinge glory, þat ȝoure feiþ and hope were in God. Ȝe makinge chaaſt ȝoure ſoules in obedience of charite, in loue of briþerhed; of ſymple herte loue ȝe to gydre biſiloker; born aȝen, not of coruptible ſeed, but of vncoruptible, bi þe word of quike God, and dwellinge in to wiþ outen ende.

For ech fleſch hay, and al þe glorie of it as flour of hey; þe hay drieþ vp, and his flour fel doun; forſoþe þe word of þe Lord dwelliþ in to wiþ outen ende. Soþeli þis is þe word, þat is euangelized to ȝou.