Wycliffe's English Translation (1388)
Wycliffe
Translated from the Latin in the 14th century
[1]And summe camen doun fro Judee, and tauyten britheren, That but ye ben circumcidid after the lawe of Moises, ye moun not be maad saaf. [2]Therfor whanne ther was maad not a litil discencioun to Poul and Barnabas ayens hem, thei ordeyneden, that Poul and Barnabas, and summe othere of hem, schulden go vp to the apostlis and preestis in Jerusalem, on this questioun. [3]And so thei weren led forth of the chirche, and passiden bi Fenyce and Samarie; and thei telden the conuersacioun of hethene men, and thei maden greet ioie to alle the britheren. [4]And whanne thei camen to Jerusalem, thei weren resseyued of the chirche and of the apostlis, and of the eldre men, and telden, hou greet thingis God dide with hem. [5]But summe of the erise of Fariseis, that bileueden, risen vp, and seiden, That it bihoueth hem to be circumsidid, and to comaunde to kepe also the lawe of Moises. [6]And the apostlis and eldre men camen togidre, to se of `this word. [7]And whanne there was maad a greet sekyng herof, Petre roos, and seide to hem, Britheren, ye witen, that of elde daies in you God chees bi my mouth hethene, to here the word of the gospel, and to bileue; [8]and God, that knewe hertis, bar witnessing, and yaf to hem the Hooli Goost, as also to vs; [9]and no thing diuerside bitwixe vs and hem, `and clenside the hertis of hem bi feith. [10]Now thanne what tempten ye God, to putte a yok on the necke of the disciplis, which nether we, nether oure fadris miyten bere? [11]But bi the grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist we bileuen to be saued, as also thei. [12]And al the multitude helde pees, and herden Barnaban and Poul, tellinge hou grete signes and wondris God dide bi hem in hethene men. [13]And aftir that thei helden pees, James answeride, and seide, Britheren, here ye me. [14]Symount telde, hou God visitide, first to take of hethene men a puple to his name. [15]And the wordis of prophetis acorden to him, [16]as it is writun, Aftir this Y schal turne ayen, and bilde the tabernacle of Dauid, that felle doun; and Y schal bilde ayen the cast doun thingis of it, and Y schal reise it; [17]that other men seke the Lord, and alle folkis on which my name is clepid to helpe; the Lord doynge this thing, seith. [18]Fro the world, the werk of the Lord is knowun to the Lord. [19]For which thing Y deme hem that of hethene men ben conuertid to God, [20]to be not disesid, but to write to hem, that thei absteyne hem fro defoulingis of maumetis, and fro fornicacioun, and stranglid thingis, and blood. [21]For Moyses of elde tymes hath in alle citees hem that prechen him in synagogis, where bi ech sabat he is red. [22]Thanne it pleside to the apostlis, and to the eldre men, with al the chirche, to chees men of hem, and sende to Antioche, with Poul and Barnabas, Judas, that was named Barsabas, and Silas, the firste men among britheren; [23]and wroten bi the hondis of hem, Apostlis and eldre britheren to hem that ben at Antioche, and Sirie, and Silice, britheren of hethen men, greting. [24]For we herden that summe wenten out fro vs, and trobliden you with wordis, and turneden vpsodoun youre soulis, to whiche men we comaundiden not, [25]it pleside to vs gaderid in to oon, to chese men, and sende to you, with oure most dereworthe Barnabas and Poul, [26]men that yauen her lyues for the name of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. [27]Therfor we senten Judas and Silas, and thei schulen telle the same thingis to you bi wordis. [28]For it is seyn to the Hooly Goost and to vs, to putte to you no thing more of charge, than these nedeful thingis, [29]that ye absteyne you fro the offrid thingis of maumetis, and blood stranglid, and fornicacioun. Fro whiche ye kepinge you, schulen do wel. Fare ye wel. [30]Therfor thei weren let go, and camen doun to Antioche; and whanne the multitude was gaderid, thei token the epistle; [31]which whanne thei hadden red, thei ioyden on the coumfort. [32]And Judas and Silas and thei, for thei weren prophetis, coumfortiden britheren, and confermyden with ful many wordis. [33]But aftir that thei hadden be there a lytil while, thei weren let go of britheren with pees, to hem that hadden sent hem. [34]But it was seyn to Silas, to dwelle there; and Judas wente aloone to Jerusalem. [35]And Poul and Barnabas dwelten at Antioche, techinge and prechinge the word of the Lord, with othere manye. [36]But after summe daies, Poul seide to Barnabas, Turne we ayen, and visite britheren bi alle citees, in whiche we han prechid the word of the Lord, hou thei han hem. [37]And Barnabas wolde take with hym Joon, that was named Marcus. [38]But Poul preiede him, that he that departide fro hem fro Pamfilie, and wente not with hem in to the werk, schulde not be resseyued. [39]And dissencioun was maad, so that thei departiden a twynny. And Barnabas took Mark, and cam bi boot to Cipre. [40]And Poul chees Silas, and wente forth fro the britheren, and was bitakun to the grace of God. [41]And he wente bi Sirie and Silice, and confermyde the chirche, comaundinge to kepe the heestis of apostlis and eldre men.
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Author: John Wycliffe (1328 – 1384)
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