< Philippians 1 >
1 Poul and Tymothe, seruauntis of Jhesu Crist, to alle the hooli men in Crist Jhesu, that ben at Filippis, with bischopis and dekenes,
2 grace and pees to you of God oure fadir, and of the Lord Jhesu Crist.
3 I do thankyngis to my God
4 in al mynde of you euere more in alle my preyeris for alle you with ioye, and
5 make a bisechyng on youre comynyng in the gospel of Crist, fro the firste day til nowe;
6 tristenynge this ilke thing, that he that bigan in you a good werk, schal perfourme it til in to the dai of Jhesu Crist.
7 As it is iust to me to feele this thing for alle you, for that Y haue you in herte, and in my boondis, and in defending and confermyng of the gospel, that alle ye be felowis of my ioye.
8 For God is a witnesse to me, hou Y coueyte alle you in the bowelis of Jhesu Crist.
9 And this thing Y preie, that youre charite be plenteuouse more and more in kunnyng, and in al wit;
10 that ye preue the betere thingis, that ye be clene and without offence in the dai of Crist;
11 fillid with the fruyt of riytwysnesse bi Jhesu Crist, in to the glory and the heriyng of God.
12 For, britheren, Y wole that ye wite, that the thingis that ben aboute me han comun more to the profit of the gospel,
13 so that my boondis weren maad knowun in Crist, in ech moot halle, and in alle other placis;
14 that mo of britheren tristinge in the Lord more plenteuously for my boondis, dursten without drede speke the word of God.
15 But summe for enuye and strijf, summe for good wille, prechen Crist;
16 and summe of charite, witinge that Y am put in the defense of the gospel.
17 But summe of strijf schewen Crist not cleneli, gessynge hem to reise tribulacioun to my boondis.
18 But what? the while on al maner, ethir bi occasioun, ethir bi treuthe, Crist is schewid; and in this thing Y haue ioye, but also Y schal haue ioye.
19 And Y woot, that this thing schal come to me in to heelthe bi youre preyer, and the vndurmynystring of the spirit of `Jhesu Crist, bi myn abidyng and hope.
20 For in no thing Y schal be schamed, but in al trist as euere more and now, Crist schal be magnefied in my bodi, ether bi lijf, ether bi deth.
21 For me to lyue is Crist, and to die is wynnyng.
22 That if to lyue in fleisch, is fruyt of werk to me, lo! what Y schal chese, Y knowe not.
23 But Y am constreyned of twei thingis, Y haue desire to be dissolued, and to be with Crist, it is myche more betere; but to dwelle in fleisch,
24 is nedeful for you.
25 And Y tristinge this thing, woot that Y schal dwelle, and perfitli dwelle to alle you, to youre profit and ioye of feith,
26 that youre thanking abounde in Crist Jhesu in me, bi my comyng eftsoone to you.
27 Oneli lyue ye worthili to the gospel of Crist, that whether whanne Y come and se you, ethir absent Y here of you, that ye stonden in o spirit of o wille, trauelinge togidere to the feith of the gospel.
28 And in no thing be ye aferd of aduersaries, which is to hem cause of perdicioun,
29 but to you cause of heelthe. And this thing is of God. For it is youun to you for Crist, that not oneli ye bileuen in hym, but also that ye suffren for hym;
30 hauynge the same strijf, which ye saien in me, and now ye han herd of me.