Wycliffe's English Translation (1388)
Wycliffe
Translated from the Latin in the 14th century
[1]Therfor if ony coumfort is in Crist, if ony solace of charite, if ony felouschipe of spirit, if ony inwardnesse of merci doyng, [2]fille ye my ioye, that ye vndurstonde the same thing, and haue the same charite, of o wille, and feelen the same thing; [3]no thing bi strijf, nether by veyn glorie, but in mekenesse, demynge eche othere to be heiyer than hym silf; [4]not biholdinge ech bi hym silf what thingis ben his owne, but tho thingis that ben of othere men. [5]And fele ye this thing in you, which also in Crist Jhesu; [6]that whanne he was in the forme of God, demyde not raueyn, that hym silf were euene to God; [7]but he lowide hym silf, takinge the forme of a seruaunt, and was maad in to the licknesse of men, and in abite was foundun as a man. [8]He mekide hym silf, and was maad obedient to the deth, yhe, to the deth of the cross. [9]For which thing God enhaunside hym, and yaf to hym a name that is aboue al name; [10]that in the name of Jhesu ech kne be bowid, of heuenli thingis, of ertheli thingis, and of hellis; [11]and ech tunge knouleche, that the Lord Jhesu Crist is in the glorie of God the fadir. [12]Therfor, my most dereworthe britheren, as euere more ye han obeischid, not in my presence onely, but myche more now in myn absence, worche ye with drede and trembling youre heelthe. [13]For it is God that worchith in you, bothe to wilne, and to performe, for good wille. [14]And do ye alle thingis with out grutchingis and doutyngis; [15]that ye be with out playnt, and symple as the sones of God, with out repreef, in the myddil of a schrewid nacioun and a weiward; among whiche ye schynen as yyueris of liyt in the world. [16]And holde ye togidere the word of lijf to my glorie in the day of Crist; for Y haue not runnen in veyn, nether Y haue trauelid in veyn. [17]But thouy Y be offrid or slayn on the sacrifice and seruyce of youre feith, Y haue ioye, and Y thanke you alle. [18]And the same thing haue ye ioye, and thanke ye me. [19]And Y hope in the Lord Jhesu, that Y schal sende Tymothe soone to you, that Y be of good coumfort, whanne tho thingis ben knowun that ben aboute you. [20]For Y haue no man so of o wille, that is bisi for you with clene affeccioun. [21]For alle men seken tho thingis that ben her owne, not tho that ben of Crist Jhesu. [22]But knowe ye the asaie of hym, for as a sone to the fadir he hath seruyd with me in the gospel. [23]Therfor Y hope that Y schal sende hym to you, anoon as Y se what thingis ben aboute me. [24]And Y triste in the Lord, that also my silf schal come to you soone. [25]And Y gesside it nedeful to sende to you Epafrodite, my brother and euene worchere, and myn euene knyyt, but youre apostle, and the mynystre of my nede. [26]For he desiride you alle, and he was sorewful, therfor that ye herden that he was sijk. [27]For he was sijk to the deth, but God hadde merci on him; and not oneli on hym, but also on me, lest Y hadde heuynesse on heuynesse. [28]Therfor more hastili Y sente hym, that whanne ye han seyn hym, ye haue ioye eft, and Y be withouten heuynesse. [29]Therfor resseyue ye hym with al ioye in the Lord, and haue ye suche with al onour. [30]For the werk of Crist he wente to deth, yyuynge his lijf, that he schulde fulfille that that failide of you anentis my seruyce.
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Author: John Wycliffe (1328 – 1384)
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