1   Petre, apostle of Jhesu Crist, to the chosen gestis, `or comelingis, of dispersioun, `or scateringe abrood, of Ponte, of Galathie, of Capodosie, of Asye, and of Bitynye, up the prescience, 2   `or bifore knowinge, of God, the fadir, `in to halewinge of the spirit, `in to obedience, and sprengynge of the blood of Jhesu Crist, grace and pees `to &yogh;ou be multiplied. 3   Blessid be God, and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, the which up his greet mercy a&yogh;en gendride us in to quik hope, bi the a&yogh;en rijsyng of Jhesu Crist fro deede men, 4   in to heritage vncoruptible, and vndefoulid, and vnwelewable, `that shal not fade, 5   kept in heuenes in &yogh;ou, that in the vertu of God ben kept bi the feith in to helthe, maad redy for to be shewid in the laste tyme. 6   In which &yogh;e shulen ioye, if it bihoueth now a litel for to be sory in diuerse temptaciouns; 7   that the prouyng of &yogh;oure feith be miche preciouser than gold, that is proued bi fijr; be it founde in to heriyng, and glory, and honour, `in to the reuelacioun of Jhesu Crist. 8   Whom whan &yogh;e han not seyn, &yogh;e louen; in to whom also now &yogh;e not seynge, bileuen; forsothe &yogh;e bileuynge shulen haue

ioye with oute forth in gladnesse vnenarrable, `that mai not be told out, and glorified, 9   bringynge a&yogh;en the ende of &yogh;oure feith, the helthe of &yogh;oure soulis. 10   Of whiche helthe prophetes sou&yogh;ten out, and enserchiden, that prophecieden of the grace to comynge in &yogh;ou, 11   sekinge which or what maner tyme the spirit of Crist signyfiede in hem, `bifore tellinge the passiouns, that ben in Crist, and latter glories. 12   To whom it is shewid, for not to hem silf, sotheli to &yogh;ou thei mynistriden tho thingis, that now ben told to &yogh;ou bi hem that euangelizeden to &yogh;ou the Holy Goost sent fro heuene, in to whom aungels desijren for to biholde. 13   For whiche thing &yogh;e gyrd the leendes of &yogh;oure soule, sobre, parfijt, hope in to `the ilke grace that is offrid to &yogh;ou `in to the reuelacioun, `or shewinge, 14   of Jhesu Crist, as sones of obedience, not `to gydere liknyd to the former desijris of &yogh;oure ignoraunse, 15   but up him that clepide &yogh;ou holy; that and `&yogh;oure silf be holy in al lyuynge; 16   for it is write, &YOGH;e shulen be holy, for I am holy. 17   And if &yogh;e inclepen him fadir, `the whiche with oute accepcioun of personys demeth up the werk of eche man, lyue &yogh;e in drede in tyme of &yogh;oure pilgrimage, `or litel dwellinge `in erthe; 18   witinge that not bi corruptible gold, or siluer, &yogh;e ben bou&yogh;t a&yogh;en of &yogh;oure veyn lyuynge of fadirs tradicioun, 19   but bi the precious blood of the lomb vndefoulid and vnspottid, Crist Jhesu, 20   bifore knowun sotheli bifore the making of the world, forsothe shewid in the laste tymes, 21   for &yogh;ou that bi him ben feithful in God; that reiside him fro deede men, and &yogh;af to him euerelastinge glory, that &yogh;oure feith and hope were in God. 22   `&YOGH;e makinge chaast &yogh;oure soules in obedience

of charite, in loue of britherhed; of symple herte loue &yogh;e to gydere bisiloker; born a&yogh;en not of coruptible seed, 23   but of vncoruptible, bi the word of quike God, and dwellinge in to with outen ende. 24   For eche flesch hay, and al the glorie of it as flour of hay; the hay drieth up, and his flour fel doun; 25   forsothe the word of the Lord dwellith in to with outen ende. Sotheli this is the word, that is euangelized to &yogh;ou. CAP. II.

1   Therfore puttinge awey al malice, and al gyle, and symulaciouns, `or feynynges, `and enuyes, and `al detraccioun; 2   as now gendrid &yogh;onge children, resonable, with oute gyle, coueyte &yogh;e mylk, that in it &yogh;e wexe in to helthe; 3   if netheles &yogh;e taastiden, for the Lord is swete. 4   `To whom &yogh;e goynge ny&yogh;e, a quyk stoon, reproued sotheli of men, forsothe chosen of God, and honourid, 5   and &yogh;oure silf as quike stoones be aboue bildid spiritual housis, holy presthod, for to offre spiritual hoostes, `or offringes, acceptable to God bi Jhesu Crist. 6   For which thing the scripture holdith, Lo! I shal putte in Syon `the hi&yogh;est stoon, corner stoon, chosen, precious; and he that shal bileue in to him, shal not be confoundid. 7   Therfore honour to &yogh;ou bileuynge; forsothe to men not bileuynge, the stoon whom `thei bildynge reproueden, this is maad in to the heed of the corner; 8   and the stoon of offencioun, `or hirtynge, and stoon of sclaundre, to hem that offenden bi word, nether bileuen, in which and thei ben put. 9   Forsothe &yogh;e ben a `kynde chosun, kyngly presthod, holy folk, puple of purchasinge, that &yogh;e telle the vertues of him, that clepide &yogh;ou fro derknesses in to his wondirful li&yogh;t.

10   The whiche sum tyme not the puple of God, `now sotheli the puple of God; the which `not hauyng mersy, `now forsothe hauyng mersy. 11   Moost dere, I beseche &yogh;ou as comelinges, `or gestes, and pilgrimes, for to abstene &yogh;ou fro fleschly desijris, that fi&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens the soule; 12   hauynge &yogh;oure conuersacioun, `or lijf, good among hethen men, that in that thing that thei bacbiten, `or yuele treeten, of &yogh;ou, as of mysdoers, thei biholdinge &yogh;ou of goode werkis, glorifie God in the day of visitacioun. 13   Be &yogh;e suget to eche creature of man, for God; other to the kyng, as precellent, `or more worthi `in staat, 14   other to dukis, as sent of him to the veniaunce of mysdedis, `or mysdoeris, forsothe to the preysinge of goode dedis, `or goode men. 15   For so is the wille of God, that &yogh;e doynge wel, make the vnkunnyngnesse of vnprudent men for to be doumbe. 16   As fre men, and not as hauynge fredom the couering of malice, but as the seruauntes of God. 17   Honoure &yogh;e alle men, loue &yogh;e britherhed, drede &yogh;e God, make &yogh;e the kyng honourable. 18   Seruauntes, be &yogh;e suget in al drede to lordis, not onely to goode and mylde, but also to tirauntes. 19   Forsothe this is grace, if for conscience of God ony man suffrith sorewes, `or heuynesses, suffringe vniustly. 20   Sotheli what grace is it, if &yogh;e synnynge and buffatid suffren? But if &yogh;e `wel doynge suffren, this is grace anentis God. 21   Forsothe in this thing &yogh;e ben clepid. For Crist suffride for vs, leeuynge to &yogh;ou ensaumple, that &yogh;e folewe the steppes of him. 22   The which dide not synne, nether gyle is founde in his mouth. 23   Which whan he was cursid, curside not;

whan he suffride, he manaside not; sotheli he bitoke him to `a man demynge him vniustly. 24   Whiche he him silf suffride, `or bar, oure synnes in his body on the tree, that we deede to synnes, lyue to ri&yogh;twisnesse, bi whois wounde `&yogh;e ben heelid. 25   Forsothe &yogh;e weren as sheep erringe, but &yogh;e ben conuertid now to the sheperde, and bischop of &yogh;oure soulis. CAP. III.

1   Also and wymmen be suget to her husbondis; that if ony bileuen not to the word, bi the conuersacioun of wymmen `be thei wonnen with outen word, 2   biholdinge in drede &yogh;oure holy conuersacioun. 3   Of the whiche be not with outeforth curious ournyng of heer, or doyng aboute of gold, or ournyng of clothinge of vestymentis; but `the ilke that is the hid man of herte, 4    in vncoruptibilite of quyete, `or pesible, and mylde spirit, the which is riche in the si&yogh;t of God. 5   Sotheli so and holy wymmen hopinge in God, `not in ournement of clothinge ourneden, `or maden clene, hem silf, suget to her owne husbondes. 6   As Sare obeschide to Abraham, clepinge him lord; of whom &yogh;e ben dou&yogh;tres wel doynge, and not dredinge ony perturbacioun. 7   Also men `to gydere dwellinge, up science, `or kunnynge, &yogh;euynge honour to the wommans vessel, `or body, as to the more sijk, as and to the euene eyris of grace of lijf, that &yogh;oure preyers ben not lettid. 8   Forsothe in feith alle of oon vndirstondinge, `or wille, in preyer be &yogh;e compacient, `or ech suffring with other, louers of fraternyte, merciful, mylde, meke; 9   not &yogh;eldinge yuel for yuel, nether cursyng for cursyng, but a&yogh;enward blessyng; for in this thing &yogh;e ben clepid,

that &yogh;e welde blessyng bi heritage. 10   Forsothe he that wolde loue lijf, and see goode dayes, constreyne his tunge fro yuel, and his lijppis, that thei speke not gyle. 11   Sotheli bowe he fro yuel, and do good; seke he pees, and parfijtly sue it. 12   For the i&yogh;en of the Lord on iust men, and the eres of him in to the preyers of hem; forsothe the cheer of the Lord on men doynge `yuele thinges. 13   And who is it that shal `noye to &yogh;ou, if &yogh;e shulen be `goode suers? 14   But if &yogh;e suffren ony thing for ri&yogh;twisnesse, &yogh;e ben blessid; sotheli drede &yogh;e not the drede of hem, that &yogh;e be not disturblid. 15   Forsothe halewe &yogh;e the Lord Crist in &yogh;oure hertis, euermore redy to do satisfaccioun to eche man axinge &yogh;ou resoun of that feith and hope that is in &yogh;ou, 16   but with myldenesse and drede, hauynge good conscience; that in `that thing that thei bacbiten of &yogh;ou, thei be confoundid, the whiche chalengen falseli &yogh;oure good conuersacioun in Crist. 17   Sotheli it is betere, `if the wille of God wole, &yogh;e wel doynge `for to suffre, than `yuele doynge. 18   For and Crist oonys dyede for oure synnes, he iust for vniuste, that he shulde offre `us to God, maad deede sotheli in flesch, forsothe maad quike in spirit. 19   In which thing and to hem that weren closid to gydere in prisoun `he comynge in spirit prechide; 20   the whiche weren sumtyme vnbileueful, whan thei abiden the pacience of God in the dayes of Noe, whan the ark, `or schip, was maad, in which a

fewe, that is `to seie, ei&yogh;te soules, ben maad saaf bi water. 21   The which thing and baptym of lijk foorme makith us saaf; not the puttinge awey of `flesch of filthis, but the axing of good conscience in to God, bi the a&yogh;enrisynge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, 22   that is in the ri&yogh;thalf of God, he `swolewinge deeth, or destriynge, that we shulde be maad eyres of euerlastinge lijf; he gon in to heuen, aungels, and powers, and vertues, maad sugettes to him. CAP. IV.

1   Therfore Crist suffringe in flesch, and be &yogh;e armed bi the same thenking; for he that suffride in flesch ceesith fro synnes, 2   that he lyue not now to the desijris of men, but to the wille of God, that is more of tyme in flesch. 3   Sotheli the tyme passid is ynow&yogh; to the wille of hethen men to be endid, the whiche walkiden in leccheries, in desijris, in miche drinkinge of wijn, ofte etyngis, drinkingis, and vnleeueful worschepingis of ydolis. 4   In which now thei ben `a feerd `on ech sijde, in which thing thei wondren, &yogh;ou `to gydere not rennynge in to the same confusioun of leccherie, blasfemynge. 5   The whiche shulen &yogh;iue resoun to him, that is redy to deme the quike and deede. 6   Sotheli for this thing and to deede men it is euangelizid, that thei be demyd sotheli up men in flesch, sotheli that thei lyue up God in spirit. 7   Forsothe the ende of alle thingis shal nei&yogh;e. `And so be &yogh;e prudent, and `wake &yogh;e in preyers; 8   bifore alle thingis forsothe hauynge charite ech to other in &yogh;ou silf algatis lastinge; for charite couerith the multitude of synnes,

9   holdinge hospitalite to gydere with outen grucchinge; 10   ech man as he receyuede grace, mynistringe `it in to ech other, as goode dispenderes of the manyfolde grace of God. 11   If ony man spekith, speke he as the wordes of God; if ony man mynistrith, as of the vertu which God mynistrith; that God be honourid in alle thingis bi Jhesu Crist oure Lord, to whom is glory and lordship in to worldlis of worldlis. 12   Amen. Moost dere, nyle &yogh;e go in pilgrimage in feruour, that is maad to &yogh;ou to temptacioun, as ony of newe thing bifalle to &yogh;ou; 13   but &yogh;e comunynge to the passiouns of Crist, haue ioye, that and &yogh;e gladinge with oute forth, haue ioye in the reuelacioun of his glory. 14   If &yogh;e ben despisid in the name of Crist, &yogh;e shulen be blessid; for that that is of the `glory and vertu of God, and the spirit that is his, restith on &yogh;ou. 15   Forsothe no man of &yogh;ou suffre as a mansleer, or theef, or curser, or desijrer of othere mennus thingis; 16   forsothe if as a cristen men, shame he not, sotheli glorifie he God in this name. 17   For tyme is, that doom bigynne of Goddis hous; sotheli if first of us, what ende of hem, that bileuen not to the gospel? 18   And sotheli if a iust man vnnethe shal be saued, where shal the vnpitous man and synner apeere? 19   `And so and thei that suffren up the wille of God, bitaken her soulis in goode deedis to the feithful maker of nou&yogh;t. CAP. V.

1   Therfore I, euene eldre, biseche the eldre men that ben in &yogh;ou, `and I witnesse

of Cristis passioun, which and comuner of that glorye that `is to be shewid in tyme to comynge. 2   Fede &yogh;e the flok of God, that is in &yogh;ou, purueiynge not constreynyngli, but wilfulli, up God; not for grace, `or loue, of foul wynnynge, but wilfully, 3   nether as hauynge lordshipe in the clergie, but maad foorme, `or ensaumple, of the flok, and of inwit. 4   And whan the prince of shiperdis shal apeere, &yogh;e shulen receyue the vnwelewable crowne of glory, `or that shal neuere faade. 5   Also, &yogh;e &yogh;onge men, `be &yogh;e suget to eldre men, forsothe `schewe &yogh;e alle to gydere mekenesse; for the Lord withstondith proude men, forsothe he &yogh;iueth grace to meke men. 6   Therfore be &yogh;e mekid vndir the mi&yogh;ty hond of God, that he reise &yogh;ou in the day of visitacioun, 7   `&yogh;e castinge `in to him al &yogh;oure bisinesse, for to him is cure of &yogh;ou. 8   Be &yogh;e sobre, and `wake &yogh;e, for &yogh;oure aduersarie, the deuel, as a roryng lyoun goith aboute, sekinge whom he shal deuoure. 9   To whom a&yogh;enstonde &yogh;e, stronge in feith, witynge the same passioun for to be to `the ilke `&yogh;oure britherhed, that is in the world. 10   Forsothe God of alle grace, that clepide in to his euerelastinge glorye, &yogh;ou suffringe a litel, he shal parforme, conferme, and make sad. 11   To him glory and lordschip in to worldlis of worldlis. 12   Amen. Bi Siluane, a feithful brother to &yogh;ou as I deme, I wroot shortly; bisechinge, and witnessinge this for `to be the verrey grace of God, in whiche &yogh;e stonden. 13   The chirche that is gederid in Babyloyne `gretith &yogh;ou wel, and Markus, my sone. 14   `Grete &yogh;e wel to gydere in holy cosse.

Grace to &yogh;ou alle that ben in Crist. Amen. Here endeth the fyrst pistle of Petre, and here bigynneth the secounde.

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