Poul, apostle, and Siluan, and Tymothe, to the chirche of Tessalonycensis, in God, oure fadir, and the Lord Jhesu Crist, grace to ȝou, and pees. We don thankingis to God euermore for alle ȝou, makinge mynde of ȝou in oure preieris withoute ceessynge; we myndeful of ȝoure werk of feith, and traueil, and charite, and susteynyng of the hope of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, bifore the Lord and oure fadir. We witynge, ȝe moost loued britheren of the Lord, ȝoure chesyng; for oure gospel was not at ȝou in word oonli, but in vertu, and in the Hooly Goost, and in moche plente; as ȝe witen, what maner men we weren in ȝou for ȝou; and ȝe ben maad oure foloweris, and of the Lord, resceyuynge the word in moche tribulacioun, with ioye of the Hooly Goost; so that ȝe ben maad fourme, or ensaumple, to alle men bileuynge, in Macedonye and in Achaye. Forsoth of ȝou the word of the Lord is defamyd, or moche told, not oonly in Macedonye and Achaye, but in ech place ȝoure feith that is to God, is parfyt; so that it is not nede for to speke to ȝou ony thing. Forsoth thei schewen of ȝou, what maner entre we hadden to ȝou, and hou ȝe ben conuertid to God fro symylacris, for to serue to quyk God and very; and for to abide his sone fro heuenes, whom he reisyde fro deede men, Jhesu, that delyuerede vs fro wraththe to comynge.
Forwhi ȝe witen, britheren, oure entre to ȝou, for it was not veyn; but first we suffrid, and punyschid with wrongis, or fals reprouyng, as ȝe witen in Philippis, hadden trust in oure Lord, for to speke to ȝou the gospel of God in moche bysynesse. Sothli oure exortacioun, or techinge, not of errour, nether of vnclennesse, nether in gile, but as we ben proued of God, that the gospel schulde be takyn to vs, so we speken; not as plesynge to men, but to God that proueth oure hertis. Forsoth nethir we weren ony tyme in word of glosyng, as ȝe witen, nether in occasioun of auarice; God is witnesse; nethir sekinge glorie of men, nethir of ȝou, nethir of othere, whanne we myȝten be to charge to ȝou, as Cristis apostelis. But we ben maad litle in the myddil of ȝou, as if a noryse fostre hir sones; so we desyringe ȝou coueityngly, or with greet loue, wolden bitake to ȝou, not oonly the gospel of God, but also oure soules, or lyues, for ȝe ben maad to vs moost dereworthe. Forsothe, britheren, ȝe ben myndeful of oure traueil and werynesse; nyȝt and day we worchinge, that we schulden not greue ony of ȝou, prechiden in ȝou the euangelie of God. Ȝe ben witnessis, and God, how hoolily, and iustli, and withouten querel, or pleynt, to ȝou that bileueden, we weren. As ȝe witen, how ech of ȝou, as the fadir his sones, preiynge and comfortynge ȝou, we han witnessid, that ȝe schulden go worthili to God, that clepide ȝou into his kyngdom and glorie. Therfore and we don thankingis to God with oute ceessinge. For whanne ȝe hadden takun of vs the word of the heringe of God, ȝe token it not as the word of men, but as it is verily, the word of God, that worchith in ȝou that han bileued. Sothli, britheren, ȝe ben maad foloweris of the chirchis of God, that ben in Judee, in Crist Jhesu, for and ȝe han suffrid the same thinges of ȝoure euene lynagis, as and thei of Jewis. The whiche slowen and the Lord Jhesu and the prophetis, and pursuwen vs, and thei plesen not to God, and to alle men thei ben aduersaries; forbedinge vs for to speke to hethen men, that the hethen men be maad saaf, that thei fulfille her synnes euermore; forsoth the wraththe of God bifore cam vpon hem til into the ende. Forsoth, britheren, we desolat fro ȝou at the tyme of an hour, in bihooldynge, not in herte, more plenteuously han hiȝed for to se ȝoure face with greet desyr. For we wolden come to ȝou, sotheli I Poul, and oones and eftsoone, but Sathanas lettide vs. Sothli what is oure hope, or ioye, or crowne of glorie? Wher ȝe ben not bifore oure Lord Jhesu Crist in his comynge? Forsoth ȝe ben oure glorie and ioye.
For which thing we susteynynge no lengere, it pleside to vs for to dwelle at Athenis aloone; and senten Tymothe, oure brother, and mynistre of God in the euangelie of Crist, to ȝou, for to be confermyd, and tauȝt, or monestid, for ȝoure feith, that no man be moued in thes tribulaciouns. Sothely ȝe silf witen, that in this thing we ben putt. Forwhi and whanne we weren at ȝou, we bifore seyden to ȝou, vs to suffre tribulaciouns; as and it is don, and ȝe witen. Therfore and I Poul, not susteynynge, or abidynge, more, sente for to knowe ȝoure feith, lest perauenture he that temptith schal tempte ȝou, and oure traueil be maad veyn. Now forsoth Tymothe comynge to vs fro ȝou, and tellinge to vs ȝoure feith and charite, and for ȝe han euermore good mynde of vs, desyringe for to se vs, as we also ȝou; therfore, britheren, we ben comfortid in ȝou, in al oure nede and tribulacioun, by ȝoure feith. For now we lyuen, if ȝe stonden in the Lord. Sothli what doynge of thankyngis mown we ȝelde to God for ȝou, in al ioye, in which we ioyen for ȝou bifore oure Lord? nyȝt and day more plenteuously preiynge, that we se ȝoure face, and fulfille tho thingis that failen of ȝoure feith. Forsothe the same God oure fadir, and the Lord Jhesu Crist, dresse oure wey to ȝou. Forsothe the Lord multiplye ȝou, and make ȝoure charite for to habounde in to gidere, and into alle, as and we in ȝou; to ȝoure hertis to be confermyd with outen pleynt in hoolynesse, bifore God and oure fadir, in the comynge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist with alle his seyntis. Amen.
Therfore, britheren, hennis forthward we preyen ȝou, and biseche in the Lord Jhesu, that as ȝe han resceyued of vs how it bihoueth ȝou for to go and plese to God, so and walke ȝe, that ȝe habounde more. Sothely ȝe wyten what comaundementis I haue ȝouun to ȝou by the Lord Jhesu. Forsoth this is the wille of God, ȝoure makinge hooly, that ȝe absteyne ȝou fro fornycacioun. That ech of ȝou kunne welde his vessel in makynge hooly, or hoolynesse, and honour; not in passioun of desyr, as and hethen men that knowen not God. And that no man ouergo, nether disseyue his brother in cause, or nede. For the Lord is venger of alle thes thingis, as we bifore seiden to ȝou, and han witnessid, or prouyd by autorite. Sothli God clepide not vs into vnclennesse, but into hoolynesse. And so he that dispisith thes thingis, dispisith not man, but God, that ȝaf his hooly spirit in vs. Forsothe of the charite of britherhed we hadden not nede for to wryte to ȝou; sothli ȝe silf han lerud of God, that ȝe loue to gidere; and forsothe ȝe don that into alle britheren in al Macedonye. Forsothe, britheren, we preyen ȝou, that ȝe habounde more; and ȝyue werk, or bisynesse, that ȝe be quyet, and do ȝoure nede, that ȝe worche with ȝoure hondis, as we han comaundid to ȝou; and that ȝe wandre honestly to hem that ben withouteforth, that of no mannis ȝe desyre ony thing. Forsoth, britheren, we wolen not ȝou for to vnknowe of men slepynge, or deiynge, that ȝe ben not sorwful, as and othere that han not hope. Sothli if we bileuen, that Jhesus was deed, and roos aȝen, so and God schal lede with him hem that slepten, or deieden, by Jhesu. Sotheli this thing we seien to ȝou in the word of the Lord, for we that lyuen, that ben residue, or left, in the comynge of the Lord, schulen not come bifore hem that slepten, or deieden. For he the Lord schal come down fro heuene, in the comaundyng, and in the voys of archaungel, and in the trumpe of God; and the deede men that ben in Crist, schulen ryse aȝen first. Aftirward we that lyuen, that ben left, schulen be rauyschid to gidere with hem in cloudis, meetynge to Crist into the eyr; and so euermore we schulen be with the Lord. And so be ȝe comfortid to gidere in thes wordis.
Forsoth, britheren, of tymes and momentis ȝe neden not that I write to ȝou. Also ȝe silf diligentli witen, for the day of the Lord, as a theef in nyȝt, so schal come. Sothli whanne thei schulen seye pees and sikurnesse, thanne sudeyn perischinge, or deeth, schal come aboue to hem, as sorwe to a womman beringe child, and thei schulen not scape. Forsoth, britheren, ȝe ben not in derknessis, that the ilke day as a theef catche ȝou. Sothli alle ȝe ben the sones of lyȝt, and sones of day; we ben not of nyȝt, nethir of derknessis. Therfore slepe we not as and othere; but wake, and be we sobre. Forsoth thei that slepen, slepen in the nyȝt, and thei that ben drunken, ben drunken in nyȝt. Forsoth we that ben of the day, ben sobre, clothid the haburioun of feith and charite, and the helm, hope of heelthe. For God puttide not vs into wraththe, but into the purchasyng of heelthe by oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that was deed for vs; that where we waken, where we slepen, we lyue to gidere with him. For which thing be ȝe comfortid to gidere, and edifie ȝe ech othir, as and ȝe don. Forsoth, britheren, we preien ȝou, that ȝe schulen knowe hem that trauelen among ȝou, and ben bifore to ȝou in the Lord, and monesten, or techen, ȝou, that ȝe haue hem more haboundantli in charite; for the work of hem, haue ȝe pees with hem. Forsoth, britheren, we preien ȝou, reproue, or chastyse, ȝe vnquyete men. Comforte ȝe men of litil herte, resceyue ȝe syke men, be ȝe pacient to alle men. Se ȝe, that no man ȝelde yuel for yuel; but euermore sue ȝe that that is good, to gidere and into alle men. Euermore ioye ȝe; with oute ceessynge preie ȝe; in alle thingis do ȝe thankyngis. Forsothe this is the wille of God in Crist Jhesu, and in alle ȝou. Nyle ȝe quenche the spirit; nyle ȝe dispise prophecies. Forsoth proue ȝe alle thingis, holde ȝe that thing that is good. Absteyne ȝou fro al yuel spice, or liknesse. Forsothe the same God of pees make ȝou hooly by alle thingis, that ȝoure spirit be kept hool, and soule, and body, with oute playnt, in the comynge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. God is trewe, that clepide ȝou, the which also schal do. Britheren, preie ȝe for vs. Greete ȝe wel alle britheren in hooly coss. I coniure ȝou by the Lord, that this pistle be rad to alle hooly britheren. The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist be with ȝou alle. Amen.
Copyright © 2013–2026 Jeremy J. Johnson. All rights reserved.