1 Peter · Chapter 3

[ edit] Alſo and wymmen be ſuget to her huſbondis; þat if ony bileuen not to þe word, bi þe conuerſacioun of wymmen be þei wonnen wiþ outen word, biholdinge in drede ȝoure holy conuerſacioun. Of þe whiche be not wiþ outforþ curious ournyng of heer, or doyng aboute of gold, or ournyng of cloþinge of veſtymentis; but þe ilke þat is þe hid man of herte, in vncorruptibilitie of quyete, or peſible, and mylde ſpirit, þe which is riche in þe ſiȝt of God. Soþeli ſo and holy wymmen hopinge in God, not in ournement of cloþinge ourneden, or maden clene, hem ſilf, ſuget to her owne huſbondes.

As Sare obeſchide to Abraham, clepinge him lord; of whom ȝe ben douȝtres wel doynge, and not dredinge ony perturbacioun. Alſo men to gydere dwellinge, vp ſcience, or kunnynge, ȝeuynge honour to þe wommans veſſel, or body, as to þe more ſijk, as and to þe euene eyris of grace of lijf, þat ȝoure preyers ben not lettid. Forſoþe in feiþ alle of oon vndirſtondinge, or wille, in preyer be ȝe compacient, or eche ſuffring wiþ oþer, louers of fraternyte, merciful, mylde, meke; not ȝeldinge yuel for yuel, neþer curſyng for curſyng, but aȝenward bleſſyng; for in þis þing ȝe ben clepid, þat ȝe welde bleſſyng bi heritage.

Forſoþe he þat wolde loue lijf, and ſee goode dayes, conſtreyne his tunge fro yuel, and his lijppis, þat þei ſpeke not gyle. Soþeli bowe he fro yuel, and do good; ſeke he pees, and parfijtly ſue it. For þe iȝen of þe Lord on iuſt men, and þe eres of him on þe preyeris of hem; forſoþe þe cheer of þe Lord on men doynge yuel þinges. And who is it þat ſhal noye to ȝou, if ȝe ſhulen be goode ſuers? But if ȝe ſuffren ony þing for riȝtwiſneſſe, ȝe ben bleſſid; ſoþeli drede ȝe not þe drede of hem, þat ȝe be not diſturblid.

Forſoþe halewe ȝe þe Lord Criſt in ȝoure hertis, euermore redy to do ſatisfaccioun to eche man axinge ȝou reſoun of þat feiþ and hope þat is in ȝou, but wiþ myldeneſſe and drede, hauynge good conſcience; þat in þat þing þat þei bacbiten of ȝou, þei be confoundid, þe whiche chalengen falſli ȝoure good conuerſacioun in Criſt. Soþeli it is betere,if þe wille of God wole, ȝe wel doynge for to ſuffre, þan yuele doynge. For and Criſt oonys dyede for oure ſynnes, he iuſt for vniuſt, þat he ſhulde offre vs to God, maad deede ſoþeli in fleſch, forſoþe maad quike in ſpirit.

In which þing and to hem þat weren cloſid to gydre in priſoun he comynge in ſþirit prechide; þe whiche weren ſumtyme vnbileueful, whan þei abiden þe pacience of God in þe dayes of Noe, whan þe ark, or ſchip, was maad, in which a fewe, þat is to ſeie, eiȝte ſoules ben maad ſaaf bi water. Þe which þing and baptym of lijk foorme makiþ vs ſaaf; not þe putting awey of fleſch of filþis, but þe axing of a good conſcience in to God, bi þe aȝenriſyng of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þat is in þe riȝþalf of God, he ſwolewinge deeþ, or deſtriyinge, þat we ſhulde be maad eyres of euerlaſtinge lijf; he gon in to heuen, aungels, and powers, and vertues, maad ſugettes to him.