2 Corinthians 13

1 Lo! this thridde tyme Y come to you, and in the mouth of tweyne or of thre witnessis euery word schal stonde.

For the third time I am coming to see you. By the word of two or three witnesses each statement will be established.

2 Y seide bifor, and seie bifor, as present twies, and now absent, to hem that bifor han synned, and to alle othere; for if Y come eftsoone, Y schal not spare.

I have said it, and I say it again before I come, just as if I were with you on my second visit, though for the moment absent, I say to those who have been long sinning, as well as to all others – that if I come again, I will spare no one.

3 Whether ye seken the preef of that Crist, that spekith in me, which is not feble in you?

And that will be the proof, which you are looking for, that the Christ speaks through me. There is no weakness in his dealings with you. No, he shows his power among you.

4 For thouy he was crucified of infirmyte, but he lyueth of the vertu of God. For also we ben sijk in hym, but we schulen lyue with him of the vertu of God in vs.

For though his crucifixion was due to weakness, his life is due to the power of God. And we, also, are weak in his weakness, but with him we will live for you through the power of God.

5 Asaie you silf, if ye ben in the feith; ye you silf preue. Whether ye knowen not you silf, for Crist Jhesu is in you? but in happe ye ben repreuable.

Put yourselves to the test, to see whether you are holding to the faith. Examine yourselves. Surely you recognise this fact about yourselves – that Jesus Christ is in you! Unless indeed you cannot stand the test!

6 But Y hope, that ye knowen, that we ben not repreuable.

But I hope that you will recognise that we can stand the test.

7 And we preien the Lord, that ye do no thing of yuel; not that we seme preued, but that ye do that that is good, and that we ben as repreuable.

We pray to God that you may do nothing wrong, not that we may be seen to stand the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem not to stand the test.

8 For we moun no thing ayens treuthe, but for the treuthe.

We have no power at all against the truth, but we have power in the service of the truth.

9 For we ioyen, whanne we ben sijk, but ye ben myyti; and we preien this thing, youre perfeccioun.

We are glad when we are weak, if you are strong. And what we pray for is that you may become perfect.

10 Therfor Y absent write these thingis, that Y present do not hardere, bi the powere, which the Lord yaf to me in to edificacioun, and not in to youre distruccioun.

This is my reason for writing as I am now doing, while I am away from you, so that, when I am with you, I may not act harshly in the exercise of the authority which the Lord gave me – and gave me for building up and not for pulling down.

11 Britheren, `hennus forward ioye ye, be ye perfit, excite ye; vndurstonde ye the same thing; haue ye pees, and God of pees and of loue schal be with you.

And now, friends, goodbye. Aim at perfection; take courage; agree together; live in peace. And then God, the source of all love and peace, will be with you.

12 Grete ye wel togidere in hooli cos.

Greet one another with a sacred kiss.

13 Alle hooli men greten you wel.

All Christ’s people here send you their greetings.

14 The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, and the charite of God, and the comynyng of the Hooli Gost, be with `you alle. Amen.

May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion with the Holy Spirit, be with you all.