Wycliffe's English Translation (1388)
Wycliffe
Translated from the Latin in the 14th century
[1]But the spirit seith opynli, that in the laste tymes summen schulen departe fro the feith, yyuynge tent to spiritis of errour, and to techingis of deuelis; that speken leesing in ipocrisie, [2]and haue her conscience corrupt, [3]forbedinge to be weddid, to absteyne fro metis, whiche God made to take with doyng of thankingis, to feithful men, and hem that han knowe the treuthe. [4]For ech creature of God is good, and no thing is to be cast awei, which is takun with doyng of thankyngis; [5]for it is halewid bi the word of God, and bi preyer. [6]Thou puttynge forth these thingis to britheren, schalt be a good mynystre of Crist Jhesu; nurschid with wordis of feith and of good doctryne, which thou hast gete. [7]But eschewe thou vncouenable fablis, and elde wymmenus fablis; haunte thi silf to pitee. [8]For bodili exercitation is profitable to litle thing; but pitee is profitable to alle thingis, that hath a biheest of lijf that now is, and that is to come. [9]A trewe word, and worthi al acceptacioun. [10]And in this thing we trauelen, and ben cursid, for we hopen in lyuyng God, that is sauyour of alle men, moost of feithful men. [11]Comaunde thou this thing, and teche. [12]No man dispise thi yongthe, but be thou ensaumple of feithful men in word, in lyuyng, in charite, in feith, in chastite. [13]Tyl Y come, take tent to redyng, to exortacioun and teching. [14]Nyle thou litil charge the grace which is in thee, that is youun to thee bi profecie, with putting on of the hondis of preesthod. [15]Thenke thou these thingis, in these be thou, that thi profiting be schewid to alle men. [16]Take tent to thi silf and to doctryn; be bisi in hem. For thou doynge these thingis, schalt `make bothe thi silf saaf, and hem that heren thee.
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Author: John Wycliffe (1328 – 1384)
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