Poul, apostle of Crist Jhesu, by the wille of God, and Tymothe, brother, to hem that ben at Colose, hooly and feithful britheren in Crist Jhesu, grace to ȝou and pees of God oure fadir and of the Lord Jhesu Crist. We don thankingis to God, and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, euermore for ȝou preiynge, we heeringe ȝoure feith in Crist Jhesu, and the loue that ȝe han into alle hooly men, for the hope that is kept to ȝou in heuenes. The which ȝe herden in the word of treuthe of the gospel, that cam to ȝou, as and it is in al the world, and makith fruyt, and wexith, as in ȝou, of that day in which ȝe herden and knewen the grace in treuthe. As ȝe lerneden of Epaphras, oure euene seruaunt moost dereworthe, the which is a trewe mynistre of Jhesu Crist for ȝou; the which also schewide to vs ȝoure louyng in spirit. Therfore and we fro the day in which we herden, ceessen not for ȝou preiynge, and axynge, that ȝe be fulfilled with the knowynge of his will in al wysdom and goostly vndirstondyng; that ȝe walke worthily to God by alle plesynge thingis, makinge fruit in al good werk, and wexynge in the science of God, in al vertu comfortid vp the myȝt of his cleernesse, in al pacience and long abidinge with ioye, doynge thankingis to God the fadir, the which made vs worthi in to the part of sort of hooly men in liȝt. The which delyuerede vs fro the power of derknessis, and translatide into the kyngdom of the sone of his louynge, in whom we han aȝenbyinge and remyscioun of synnes. The which is the ymage of God inuysible, that may not be seyn, the firste bigetun of ech creature. For in hym alle thingis ben maad, in heuenes and in erthe, visyble and inuisyble, ether trones, ether domynaciouns, ethir principatis, ether potestates, alle thingis ben maad of noȝt by him, and in him, and he is bifore alle, and alle thingis ben in hym. And he is heed of the body of the chirche; the which is the bigynnynge, or the firste thing of alle, and the firste bigetun of deede men, that he be holdinge primacie, or the firste dignyte, in alle thingis. For in hym it pleside to gidere al plente for to inhabite, and by him alle thingis for to be reconsylid in to hym, he pesynge by the blood of his cross, ether tho thingis that ben in erthis, ether that ben in heuenes. And whanne ȝe weren sum tyme aliened, or maad straunge, and enemyes by witt in yuel werkis, now forsothe he hath recouncilid ȝou in the body of his fleisch bi deeth, for to haue ȝou hooly, and vnwemmid, and with oute reprof bifore hym. If nethelees ȝe dwellen in the feith, foundid, and stable, and vnmouable fro the hope of the gospel that ȝe han herd, the which is prechid in al creature that is vndir heuene. Of which I Poul am maad mynistre, the which now I haue ioye in passiouns for ȝou, and fulfille tho thingis that faylen of the passiouns of Crist in my fleisch, for his body, that is the chirche. Of the which I Poul am maad mynistre, or seruaunt, vp the dispensacioun of God, that is ȝouun to me in ȝou, that I fulfille the word of God, the mysterie, or priuete, that was hid fro worldis and generaciouns. Now forsoth it is schewid to his seyntis, to whom God wolde make the richessis knowun of the glorie of this sacrament in hethen men, that is Crist in ȝou, the hope of glorie. Whom we schewen, reprouynge ech man, and techinge ech man in al wysdom, that we ȝyuen ech man parfyt in Crist Jhesu. In which thing and I trauele, stryuynge vp the worchinge of him, that he worchith in me in vertu.
Sothli I wole ȝou for to wite, what bisynesse I haue for ȝou, and for hem that ben at Laodice, and whiche euere sayen not my face in fleisch, that the hertis of hem be comfortid, thei tauȝt in charite, and in to alle richessis of plente of vndirstonding, into the knowyng of mysterie of God, the fadir of Jhesu Crist, in whom ben al the tresours hid of wysdom and science. Forsoth this thing I seie, that no man disceyue ȝou in hiȝthe of wordis. Forwhi and if I be absent in body, but by spirit I am with ȝou, ioyinge and seinge ȝoure ordre and the sadnesse of that ȝoure bileue that is in Crist. Therfore as ȝe han takun Jhesu Crist oure Lord, walke ȝe in hym, ȝe rootid and byldid aboue in Crist, and confermyd in the bileue, as and ȝe han lerud, haboundinge in hym in doynge of thankyngis. Se ȝe that no man disseyue ȝou by philosofye and veyn fallace, or gilouse falshede, vp the tradicioun of men, vp elementis of this world, and not vp Crist. For in hym dwellith bodilich al plente of Godhede. And ȝe ben fulfillid in him, that is heed of al principat and power. In whom and ȝe ben circumsidid in circumcisioun not maad with hond, in nakidnesse of the body of fleisch, but in circumcisioun of Crist; to gidere biryed to hym in baptym, in whom and ȝe han risun aȝen by feith of the worching of God, that reyside hym fro deede men. And whanne ȝe weren deede in giltis, and in the prepucie of ȝoure fleisch, he quykenyde to gidere ȝou with hym; forȝyuynge to ȝou alle giltis, or trespassis, doynge awey that wryting of decree, or dom, that was aȝens ȝou, that was contrarie to ȝou; and he took that fro the myddel, picchinge it to the cross, spoylinge princepatis and poweris, led out tristily, openly ouercomynge hem in him silf. Therfore no man iuge ȝou in mete, or drynke, or in part of feeste day, or neomenye, or of sabotis, the whiche ben schadowe of thingis to come; forsoth the body is of Crist. No man disseyue ȝou, willinge in mekenesse, and religioun of aungels, the whiche thingis he hath not seyn, walkynge veynly; ynblowyn with witt of his fleisch, and not holdynge the heed, of which al the body, by bondis and ioynyngis to gidere vndirmynistrid and maad, wexith into the encreessyng of God. Forsothe if ȝe ben deede with Crist fro the elementis of this worlde, what ȝit as men lyuynge to the world deme ȝe? Nether ȝe schulen touche, nether taste, nether trete with hondis tho thingis, the which alle ben into deeth by the ilke vss, vp preceptis and techingis of men; the whiche ben sotheli hauynge resoun of wysdom in supersticioun, or veyn religioun, or honour, and mekenesse, and not for to spare the body, not in ony honour to the fulnesse of fleisch.
Therfore if ȝe han risun to gidere with Crist, seke ȝe tho thingis that be aboue, where Crist is sittinge in the riȝthalf of God. Sauere, or vndirstonde, ȝe tho thingis that ben aboue, not tho that ben vpon the erthe. Forsoth ȝe ben deede, and ȝoure lyf is hid with Crist in God. Forsothe whanne Crist schal appere, ȝoure lyf, thanne and ȝe schulen appeere with him in glorie. Therfore sle ȝe ȝoure membris, the whiche ben on the erthe, fornycacioun, vnclennesse, leccherie, yuel couetyse, and auarice, the which is seruage of symylacris; for whiche thingis the wraththe of God cam vpon the sones of vnbileue; in the whiche and ȝe walkiden sumtyme, whanne ȝe lyueden in hem. Now forsoth and ȝe putte awey alle thingis, wraththe, indignacioun, malice, blasfemye, foul word of ȝoure mouth. Nyle ȝe lyie, or gabbe, to gidere, spulinge the olde man with his deedis, and clothinge the newe man, that is maad newe aȝen into the knowynge of God, vp the ymage of him that maad hym; wher is not male and female, hethen man and Jew, circumcisioun and prepucie, barbar and Scita, seruaunt, or thral, and fre man, but alle thingis and in alle thingis Crist. Therfore clothe ȝou, as the chosun of God, and hooly, and the loued of God, the entrailis of mercy, benygnite, and mekenesse, temperaunce, and pacience; supportinge, or beringe vp to gidere, and ȝyuynge to ȝou silf, if ony man aȝens any hath querel, or pleynt; as and the Lord Crist ȝaf to ȝou, so and ȝe. Forsoth vpon alle thes thingis haue ȝe charite, that is the bond of perfeccioun. And the pees of Crist enioye in ȝoure hertis, in the which and ȝe ben clepid in o body, and be ȝe kynde, or fre of goodwill or ȝifte. The word of Crist dwelle in ȝou plenteuously, in al wysdom, techinge and monestinge ȝou silf in salmes, and ymnes, and spiritual songis, in grace syngynge in ȝoure hertis to the Lord. Al thing, what euere thing ȝe don, in word or in dede, alle thingis in the name of the Lord Jhesu Crist, doynge thankyngis to God the fadir by hym. Wymmen, be ȝe suget to ȝoure housbondis, as it bihoueth in the Lord. Men, loue ȝe ȝoure wyues, and nyle ȝe be bitter to hem. Sones, obeye ȝe to fadir and modir by alle thingis; forsothe this is wel plesynge to the Lord. Fadris, nyle ȝe terre ȝoure sones to indignacioun, that thei be not maad of litel ynwitt, or resoun. Seruauntis, obeye ȝe by alle thingis to fleischly lordis, not seruynge at yȝe, as plesynge to men, but in symplenesse of herte, dredinge the Lord. What euere ȝe don, worche ȝe of ynwitt, as to the Lord and not to men; witinge that of the Lord ȝe schulen take retribucioun, or ȝeldinge aȝen, of heritage. Serue ȝe to the Lord Crist. Forsoth he that doth iniurie, or wrong, schal resseyue that that he dide yuele; and accepcioun of persoones is not anentis God.
Lordis, that that is iust and euene ȝyue ȝe to seruauntis, witinge that and ȝe han a Lord in heuene. Be ȝe bisy to preier, wakinge in it, in doyngis of thankyngis; preiynge to gidere and for vs, that God opene to vs the dore of word, for to speke the mysterie of Crist; for which also I am boundun, that I schewe it, so as it bihoueth me for to speke. In wysdom walke ȝe to hem that ben withoute forth, aȝen byynge tyme. Ȝoure word be sauerid in salt, that is, wysdom, euermore in grace; that ȝe wite, hou it bihoueth ȝou for to answere to ech man. Titicus, moost dere brother, and feithful mynystre, and euene seruaunt in the Lord, schal make alle thingis knowun to ȝou, that ben aboute me. Whom I sente to ȝou to this same thing, that he knowe what thingis ben aboute ȝou, and comforte ȝoure hertis, with Onesyme, moost dere and feithful brother, the which is of ȝou; the which schal make alle thingis that ben don here, knowun to ȝou. Aristark, myne euene caytyf, or prisoner with me, greetith ȝou wel, and Mark, the cosyn of Barnabas, of whom ȝe han take maundementis; if he schal come to ȝou, resceyue ȝe him; and Jhesus, that is seid Just; the whiche ben of circumcisioun; thei aloone ben myne helperis in the kingdom of God, that weren to me in solace. Epaphras, that is of ȝou, the seruaunt of Jhesu Crist, greetith ȝou wel; euere bisy for ȝou in preieris, that ȝe stonde perfyt and ful in al the wyll of God. Sothli I bere witnessyng to him, that he hath moche trauel for ȝou, and for hem that ben at Laodice, and that ben at Ierepolym. Luk, leche moost dere, and Demas, greeten ȝou wel. Greetith ȝe wel the britheren that ben at Laodice, and Nympham, and the chirche that is in his hous. And whanne this pistle schal be rad at ȝou, do ȝe, that it be rad in the chirche of Laodicencis; and that that is of Laodicensis be rad at ȝou. And seie ȝe to Archyp, Se the mynisterie, that thou hast takun of the Lord, that thou fulfille it. My salutacioun, by the hond of Poul. Be ȝe myndeful of my boondis. The grace of the Lord Jhesu be with ȝou. Amen.
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