Judas, the seruaunt of Jhesu Crist, and brother forsothe of Jamys, to thes loued, that ben in God the fadir, and of Jhesu Crist kept and clepid, mercy, to ȝou, and pees, and charite be fulfillid. Moost dere, I makinge al bisynesse of writinge to ȝou of ȝoure comun helthe, hadde neede for to wrijte to ȝou, preyinge for to stryue vpon the feith oonys bitakun of seyntis. Sotheli summen priuyli entriden, that sumtyme weren bifore write in to this doom, vnpitous men, ouerturnynge the grace of oure God in to leccherie, and denyinge the aloone lordschiper and oure Lord Jhesu Crist. Forsothe I wole to gydere moneste ȝou, witynge oonys alle thingis, for Jhesus sauynge his puple of the lond of Egipt, and the secounde tyme loste hem that bileueden not. Sotheli aungels, that kepten not his princehed, but forsoken his hous, he reseruede in to the doom of greet God, in euerelastinge boondis vndir derknesse. As Sodom, and Gomor, and nyȝ coostid citees, on liche manere doynge fornycacioun, and goynge awey aftir other flesch, ben maad ensaumple, sustenynge peyne of euerlastinge fijr. Also and thes that defoulen sotheli the flesch, forsothe despijsen lordschiping, forsothe blasfemen mageste. Whan Mychael, the archaungel, disputinge with the deuel, stroof of Moyses body, he was not hardy for ȝiue doom of blasfemye, but seide, The Lord comaunde to thee. Forsothe thes blasfemen, what euere thinges thei sotheli vnknowen. Sotheli what euere thinges thei han knowe kyndely as doumbe beestis, in thes thei ben corupt. Wo to hem that wenten the weye of Caym, and bi errour of Balaam for meede ben shed out, and perischiden in the aȝen seiynge of Chore. Thes ben in her metys filthes, or defoulinges, feestinge to gydere, with outen dreede fedynge hem silf; cloudes with outen watir, that ben born aboute of wijndis; heruest trees with outen fruyt, twies deede, drawun vp bi the roote; wawes of the wijlde, or woode, se, frothinge out her confusiouns; erringe sterres, or fallinge doun, to whom the tempest of derknessis is kept in to with outen ende. Forsothe Enos, the seuenthe fro Adam, propheciede of thes, seiynge, Lo! the Lord cometh in his holy thousyndis, for to do doom aȝens alle men, and for to reproue alle vnpitous men of alle the werkis of the vnpitee of hem, bi whiche thei diden vnpitously, and of alle harde thingis, that vnpitous synners han spoke aȝens God. Thes ben grucchers pleynynge, or ful of pleyntis, wandringe vp her desijris; and the mouth of hem spekith pride, wondringe,or worschipinge, persones, bi cause of wynnyng. Forsothe, ȝe moost dere, be ȝe myndeful of the wordis, whiche ben bifore seid of apostlis of oure Lord Jhesu Crist; the whiche seiden to ȝou, for in the laste tymes ther shulen come scorners, wandringe vp her desijres, not in pitee. Thes ben, the whiche departen hem silf, beestly, not hauynge spirit. Forsothe ȝe, moost dere, aboue byldinge ȝou silf to ȝoure moost hooly feith, in the Hooly Goost preyinge, kepe ȝou silf in the loue of God, abijdinge the mersy of oure Lord Jhesu Crist in to lijf euerelastynge. And sotheli reproue ȝe thes men demyd, forsothe saue ȝe hem, rauyschinge of the fijr. Sotheli do ȝe mersy to othere in drede of God, hatynge and the ilke defoulid coote, the which is fleschly. Forsothe to him that is myȝty for to kepe to gydere ȝou with oute synne, and for to ordeyne bifore the siȝt of his glorye ȝou vnwemmyd in gladinge, or ioyinge with oute forth, in the comynge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, to God aloone oure sauyour, bi Jhesu Crist oure Lord, glorye, and magnyfiyng, empire, or greet lordschip, and power, bifore alle worldis, and in to alle worldlis of worldlis. Amen.
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