# Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Effeſies
## Þe Prologe to Effeſeies

Here bigynneþ þe prologe to Effeſeies.
Ephecyes ſoþli ben Aſyanys; and þes þe word of treuþe takun, ſtooden ſtedefaſt in þe bileue. Þes preiſiþ þe apoſtle, writynge to hem fro Rome cite out of priſoun, by Tyte, a dekene.
Here eendiþ þe prologe, and bygynneþ þe Epiſtel to Epheſies.

## Capitulum I.

Poul, apoſtle of Criſt, by þe will of God, to alle hooly men þat ben at Ephecy and feiþful in Criſt Jheſu, grace to ȝou and pees of God, oure fadir, and of þe Lord Jheſu Criſt. Bleſſid be God and þe fadir of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, þat bleſſide vs in al ſpiritual bleſſinge in heuenli þingis in Criſt, as he chees vs in him bifore þe makyng of þe world, þat we ſchulden be hooli, and wiþ oute wemme, or vndefoulid, in his ſiȝt, in charite. Þe which bifore ordeynede vs into þe adopcioun of ſones by Jheſu Criſt into him, vp þe purpos of his will, into heriynge of þe glorie of his grace; in þe which he made vs able to his grace, or made dereworþe, in his dereworþe ſone. In whom we han aȝen byinge by his blood, and remiſſioun of ſynnes, vp þe richeſſis of his grace, þat haboundide greetly in vs in all wyſdom and prudence, þat he ſchulde make þe ſacrament of his will knowen to vs, vp þe good pleſaunce of him, þat he purpoſide in him in þe diſpenſacioun of plente of tymes for to inſtore alle þingis in Criſt, þe whiche ben in heuenes and in erþe, in him. In whom alſo and we by ſorte, or grace, ben clepid, bifore ordeyned vp þe purpos of him þat worchiþ alle þingis vp þe counceil of his will; þat we be into þe heryinge of his glorie, we þat bifore hopiden in Criſt. In whom and ȝe, whanne ȝe hadden herd þe word of treuþe, reſceyueden þe goſpel of ȝoure heelþe, in which and ȝe bileuynge ben markid wiþ þe Hooly Goſt of biheeſte, þat is a wed, or eernes, of ȝoure heritage, into þe redempcioun of purchaſinge, into heryinge of his glorie. Þerfore and I heeringe ȝoure feiþ, þat is in Criſt Jheſu, and louynge into alle ſeyntis, ceeſſe not doynge þankyngis for ȝou, makynge mynde of ȝou in my preieris; þat God of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, fadir of glorie, ȝyue to ȝou þe ſpirit of wyſdom and of reuelacioun, into þe knowynge of him; þe yȝen of ȝoure herte inliȝtened, þat ȝe wite, which is þe hope of his clepinge, and whiche þe richeſſis of þe glorie of his heritage in ſeyntis; and which is þe ouerſemynge greetneſſe of his vertu into vs þat han bileuyd, vp þe worchinge of þe myȝt of his vertu, þe which he wrouȝte in Criſt, reyſinge him fro deed men, and ſettinge on his riȝþalf in heuenly þingis, aboue ech principat, or power of princes, and poteſtate, and vertu, and lordſchiping, and ech name þat is named, not oonly in þis world, but in þe world to come; and made alle þingis ſuget vndir his feet, and ȝaf him heed vpon al þe chirche, þat is þe bodi of him, and þe plente of him, þe which alle þingis in alle þingis is fulfillid.

## Capitulum II.

And whanne ȝe weren deede in ȝoure giltis and ſynnes, in which ȝe wandreden ſum tyme vp þe ſpace, or laſtinge, of þis world, vp þe prince of þe power of þis eir, of þe ſpirit þat worchiþ now in to þe ſones of vntruſt, or vnbileue; in þe which we alle lyueden ſum tyme in deſyris of oure fleiſch, doynge þe wille of fleiſch and þouȝtis, and we weren by kynde þe ſones of wraþþe, as and oþere; forſoþ God, þat is riche in mercy, for his ful moche charite in which he louede vs, and whanne we weren deede in ſynnes, quykenede vs to gidere in Criſt, by whos grace ȝe ben ſauyd, and to gidere aȝen reyſide, and to gidere made to ſitte in heuenly þingis in Criſt Jheſu; þat he ſchulde ſchewe in þe worldis comynge ouer þe plenteuouſe richeſſis of his grace in goodneſſe vpon vs in Criſt Jheſu. Forſoþe by grace ȝe ben ſaued bi feiþ, and not of ȝou; ſoþli it is þe ȝifte of God, not of werkis, þat no man glorie. Forſoþ we ben þe makinge of hym, maad of noȝt in Criſt Jheſu, in good workis, þat God made redy bifore, þat in hem we go. For which þing be ȝe myndeful, þat ſum tyme ȝe þat weren heþene in fleiſch, þe whiche weren ſeid prepucie, fro þat þat is ſeid circumciſioun in fleiſch maad bi hand; þat weren in þat tyme wiþouten Criſt, alyened, or maad ſtraunge, fro þe lyuynge of Iſrael, and herborid men, or geſtis, of teſtamentis, not hauynge hope of biheeſte, and wiþ outen God in þis world; now forſoþ in Criſt Jheſu ȝe þat weren ſum tyme ferr, ben maad nyȝ in þe blood of Criſt. Forſoþ he is oure pees, þat made boþ oon, and þe myddel wal of a long wal vnbyndinge, enemytees in his fleiſch; auoydinge þe lawe of maundementis by domes, þat he make twey peplis in him ſilf into a newe man, makinge pees, þat he reconcile boþe in o body to God by þe croſſ, ſleynge þe enemytees in him ſilf. And he comynge euangeliſyde pees to ȝou þat weren ferr, and pees to hem þat weren nyȝ; for by him we boþ han nyȝ comynge in o ſpirit to þe fadir. Þerfore now ȝe ben not herborid men and geſtis, or comelingis, but ȝe ben citeſeyns of ſeyntis, and houſhold meyne of God; aboue bildid on þe foundement of apoſtlis and of prophetis, bi þat hiȝeſte corner ſtoon, Criſt Jheſu; in whom ech bildynge maad wexiþ in to an hooly temple in þe Lord. In whom and be ȝe bildid to gidere into þe habitacle of God, in þe Hooli Goſt.

## Capitulum III.

For grace of þis þing I Poul, þe boundyn of Jheſu Criſt, for ȝou heþene men, if neþelees ȝe han herd þe diſpenſacioun of Goddis grace, þat is ȝouun to me in ȝou. For vp reuelacioun þe ſacrament is maad knowun to me, as I aboue wroot in ſchort þing, as ȝe redinge mown vndirſtonde my prudence in þe myſterie of Criſt. Þe which is not knowun to oþere generaciouns to þe ſones of men, as it is now ſchewid to his hooly apoſtlis and prophetis in þe ſpirit, heþen men for to be euene eiris, and to gidere bodily and to gidere parceneris of his biheeſte in Criſt Jheſu by þe euangelie; whos myniſtre I am maad, vp þe ȝifte of Goddis grace, þe which is ȝouun to me vp þe worchinge of his vertu. Forſoþ to me, leeſt of alle ſeyntis, þis grace is ȝouun for to euangeliſe in heþen men þe vnſerchable richeſſis, or þat mown not be ſouȝt out, of Criſt, and for to ynliȝtne alle men, which is þe diſpenſacioun of ſacrament hid fro worldis in God, þat made alle þingis of noȝt; þat þe mochefold wyſdom of God be knowun to princes and poteſtatis in heuenli þingis by þe chirche, aftir þe ſettinge of worldis, þe which he made in Criſt Jheſu oure Lord. In whom we han truſt and nyȝ comynge, in truſtnynge by þe feiþ of him. For which þing I aſke, þat ȝe fayle not in my tribulaciouns for ȝou, þat is ȝoure glorie. For grace of þis þing I bowe my knees to þe fadir of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, of whom ech fadirheed in heuenes and in erþe is named, þat he ȝyue to ȝou, vp þe richeſſis of his glorie, vertu for to be ſtrengþid by his ſpirit in þe ynnere man, Criſt for to dwelle by feiþ in ȝoure hertis; ȝe rootid and groundid in charite, þat ȝe mown comprehende wiþ alle ſeyntis, which is þe brede, and lengþe, and hiȝneſſe, and depneſſe; alſo for to wite þe charite of Criſt aboue ſemynge to ſcience, þat ȝe be fulfillid into al þe plente of God. Forſoþe to him þat is myȝti for to make alle þingis more plenteuouſly þan we axen or vndirſtonden, vp þe vertu þat worchiþ in vs, to him be glorie in þe chirche, and in Criſt Jheſu, into alle generaciouns of þe world of worldis. Amen. So be it.

## Capitulum IIII.

And ſo I bounden in þe Lord byſeche, þat ȝe walke worþily in þe clepinge, in which ȝe ben clepid, wiþ al mekeneſſe and myldeneſſe, wiþ pacience ſupportinge to gidere in charite, biſy for to kepe vnite of ſpirit in þe bond of pees. O body and o ſpirit, as ȝe ben clepid in oon hope of ȝoure clepinge; o Lord, o feiþ, o baptym, o God and fadir of alle, þe which is aboue alle men, and by alle þingis, and in vs alle. To ech of vs grace is ȝouun vp þe meſure of þe ȝyuynge of Criſt; for which þing he ſeiþ, He ſtyȝinge into hiȝ, ledde caitifte caytif, or pryſonynge priſoned, he ȝaf ȝiftis to men. Forſoþ þat he aſſendide, what is it, no but for he deſſendide firſt into þe lowere partis of þe erþe? He it is þat cam down, and þat ſtiȝede vp on alle heuenes, þat he ſchulde fulfille alle þingis. And he ȝaf ſumme ſoþeli apoſtlis, ſumme forſoþ prophetis, oþere forſoþe euangeliſtis, oþere forſoþ ſchepherdis and techeris, to þe ful endynge of ſeyntis, into þe work of myniſterie, into edificacioun of Criſtis body, til we rennen alle, in vnyte of feiþ and of knowynge of Goddis ſone, into a parfyt man, into þe meſure of age of þe plente of Criſt; þat we ben not now litile children, mouynge as wawis, and be borun aboute wiþ al wynd of techinge, in þe weywardneſſe of men, in ſutil witt, to þe diſceyuynge of errour. Forſoþ we doynge treuþe in charite, wexen in him bi alle þingis, þat is Criſt þe heed; of whom al þe body ſett to gidere, and boundyn to gidere by ech ioynture of vndirſeruyng, vp worching into meſure of ech membre, makiþ encreſynge of þe body, into edificacioun of it in charite. Þerfore þis þing I ſeie, and witneſſe it in þe Lord, þat ȝe walke not now, as and heþen men walken, in þe vanyte of her witt, in derkneſſis; hauynge vndirſtondyng derkened, alyened, or maad ferr, fro þe lyf of God, bi ignoraunce, or vnkunnynge, þat is in hem, for þe blyndneſſe of her herte. Þei diſpeiringe bitoken hem ſilf to vnchaſtite, in to worchinge of al vnclenneſſe in coueityſe. Forſoþe ȝe han not ſo lerud Criſt, if neþelees ȝe herden hym, and ben tauȝt in him, as is treuþe in Jheſu. Do ȝe awey vp þe firſte lyuyng þe olde man, þat is corupt vp þe deſyris of errour; forſoþ be ȝe renewid, or maad newe aȝen, by ſpirit of ȝoure mynde; and cloþe ȝe þe newe man, þat vp God is maad of noȝt in riȝtwyſneſſe and hoolyneſſe of treuþe. For which þing ȝe puttinge awey leeſyng, ſpeke treuþe ech man wiþ his neiȝbore, for we ben membris to gidere. Be ȝe wroþ, and nyle ȝe ſynne; þe ſunne falle not down on ȝoure wraþþe. Nyle ȝe ȝyue ſtede to þe deuel. He þat ſtaal, now ſtele not; more forſoþ traueile he in worchinge wiþ his hondis þat þat is good þing, þat he haue wherof he ſchal ȝyue to a man ſuffringe nede. Ech yuel word go not out of ȝoure mouþ; but if ony is good to edificacioun of feiþ, þat it ȝyue grace to men heeringe. And nyle ȝe make þe Hooly Goſt of God ſori, or heuy, in þe which ȝe ben markid in þe day of redempcioun. Al bitterneſſe, and wraþþe, and indignacioun, and cry, and blaſphemye be takun awey fro ȝou, wiþ al malice; forſoþ be ȝe to gidere benygne, or of good will, mercyful, ȝyuynge to gidere, as and God ȝaf to ȝou in Criſt.

## Capitulum V.

Therfore be ȝe foloweris of God, as mooſt dereworþe ſones; and walke ȝe in loue, as and Criſt louede vs, and ȝaf him ſilf for vs an offryng and ſacrifice to God, in to þe odour of ſwetneſſe. Fornycacioun forſoþ, and al vnclenneſſe, or auarice, be not named in ȝou, as it bicomeþ hooly men; eþer filþe, or foly ſpeche, or harlotrie, þat perteyneþ not to þing, but more doynge of þankyngis. Forſoþ þis þing wyte ȝe, vndirſtondinge þat ech fornycatour, or vnclene man, or coueytous, þat is ſeruage of ydols, or mawmetis, haþ not heritage in þe kingdom of Criſt and God. No man diſceyue ȝou by veyne wordis; forſoþ for þes þingis þe wraþþe of God cam into þe ſones of vntriſt, or vnbileue. Þerfore nyle ȝe be maad parteneris of hem. Forſoþ ȝe weren ſum tyme derkneſſis, now forſoþ ȝe ben liȝt in þe Lord. Walke ȝe as ſones of liȝt. Forſoþe þe fruyt of liȝt is in al goodneſſe, and riȝtwyſneſſe, and treuþe; prouynge what is wel pleſynge to God. And nyle ȝe comune to vnfruytouſe workes of derkneſſis; forſoþe more reproue ȝe. Forſoþe what þingis ben don of hem and in priuey, it is foul and for to ſeye. Forſoþ alle þingis þat ben prouyd of þe liȝt, ben maad opyn; forſoþ al þing þat is ſchewid, is liȝt. For which þing he ſeiþ, Ryſe þou þat ſlepiſt, and ryſe vp fro deede þingis, and Criſt ſchal illumyne þee. And ſo, briþeren, ſe ȝe, how warly ȝe ſchulen go; not as vnwyſe men, but as wyſe men, aȝen byinge tyme, for þe dayes ben yuele. Þerfore nyle ȝe be maad vnprudent, but vndirſtondinge which is þe will of þe Lord. And nyle ȝe be fulfillid, or be drunkun, wiþ wyn, in which luxurie is, but be ȝe fulfillid wiþ þe Hooly Goſt; ſpekinge to ȝou ſilf in pſalmes, and ymnes, and ſpiritual ſongis, ſyngynge and ſeyinge pſalme in ȝoure hertis to þe Lord; euermore doynge þankyngis for alle þingis in þe name of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt to God and þe fadir, ȝe ſuget to gidere in þe drede of Criſt. Be wymmen ſuget to her men, or houſbondis, as to þe Lord; for þe man is heed of þe womman, as Criſt is heed of þe chirche; he ſauyour of his body. But as þe chirche is ſuget to Criſt, ſo and wymmen to her houſebondis in alle þingis. Men, loue ȝe ȝoure wyues, as and Criſt louede þe chirche, and ȝaf him ſilf for it, þat he ſchulde make it hooly; clenſynge it wiþ þe waiſching ſtoon of watir, in þe word of lyf; þat he ſchulde ȝyue þe chirche glorious to him ſilf, not hauynge wem, or ſpot, or ryuelyng, or ony ſuch þing, but þat it be hooli and vndefoulid. So and men ſchulen loue her wyues, as her owne bodies. He þat loueþ his wyf, loueþ him ſilf; forſoþ no man hatide euere his fleiſch, but noriſchiþ and foſtriþ it, as and Criſt doþ þe chirche. For we ben membris of his body, of his fleiſch, and of his boones. For þis þing a man ſchal forſake his fadir and his modir, and he ſchal clyue to his wyf; and þei ſchulen be tweyne in o fleiſch. Forſoþ þis ſacrament is greet; forſoþ I ſeye in Criſt, and in his chirche. Neþeles and ȝe alle, ech man loue his wyf as him ſilf; forſoþ þe wyf drede hir hoſebonde.

## Capitulum VI.

Sones, obeiſche ȝe to ȝoure fadir and modir, in þe Lord; forſoþe þis þing is iuſt, or riȝtful. Honoure þou þi fadir and þi modir, þat is þe firſte maundement in þe biheeſte; þat it be wel to þee, and þat þou be longe lyuynge on þe erþe. And, ȝe fadris, nyle ȝe terre ȝoure ſones to wraþþe; but noriſche ȝe hem in þe diſcipline and correccioun, or chaſtyſing, of þe Lord. Seruauntis, obeyſche ȝe to fleiſhly lordis wiþ drede and tremblyng, in ſympleneſſe of ȝoure herte, as to Criſt; not ſeruynge at yȝe, as pleſynge to men, but as ſeruauntis of Criſt; doynge þe will of God of ynwitt, or reſoun, wiþ good will ſeruynge as to þe Lord, and not to men; witynge þat ech man, what euere good þing he ſchal do, þis he ſchal reſceyue of þe Lord, wheþir ſeruaunt, wheþer fre man. And, ȝe lordis, do þe ſame þingis to hem, forȝyuynge manacis; witynge for her Lord and ȝoure is in heuenes, and takynge of perſoones is not anentis God. Here aftirward, briþeren, be ȝe comfortid in þe Lord, and in þe myȝt of his vertu. Cloþe ȝou wiþ þe armer of God, þat ȝe mown ſtonde aȝens aſpyingis, or aſaylyngis, of þe deuel. For ſtryuynge is not to vs aȝens fleiſch and blood, but aȝens þe princes and poteſtatis, aȝens gouernours of þe world of þes derkneſſis, aȝens ſpiritual þingis of wickidneſſe, in heuenli þingis. Þerfore take ȝe þe armer of God, þat ȝe mown aȝenſtonde in þe yuel day; and in alle þingis ſtonde parfyt. Þerfore ſtonde ȝe, gird aboute ȝoure leendis in ſoþfaſtneſſe, and cloþid þe haberioun of riȝtwyſneſſe, and ſchood þe feet in makynge redy of þe goſpel of pees; in alle þingis takinge þe ſcheeld of feiþ, in þe which ȝe mown quenche alle þe firy dartis of þe worſte enmye. And take ȝe þe helm of heelþe, and þe ſwerd of þe Goſt, þat is, þe word of God; by al preier and biſechinge preiynge al tyme in ſpirit, and in him wakynge in al byſyneſſe, and byſeching for alle hooly, and for me; þat word be ȝouun to me in openynge of my mouþ, wiþ triſt for to make knowun þe myſterie of þe goſpel, for which I am ſett in legacie, or meſſage, in þis cheyne; ſo þat in it I be hardy for to ſpeke, as it bihoueþ me. Forſoþe þat and ȝe wite, what þingis ben aboute me, what I ſchal do, Titicus, my mooſt dere broþer, and trewe myniſtre in þe Lord, ſchal make alle þingis knowun to ȝou; whom I ſente to ȝou into þis ſame þing, þat ȝe knowe what þingis ben aboute vs, and þat he comforte ȝoure hertis. Pees to briþeren, and charite, wiþ feiþ of God oure fadir, and of þe Lord Jheſu Criſt. Grace wiþ alle men þat louen oure Lord Jheſu Criſt in vncorupcioun. Amen.
Here endiþ þe epiſtle to Ephecies, and bigynneþ þe prolog to Philipencis.