Chapter 1 edit
1 Poul, the apostle of Jhesu Crist, bi the wille of God, to alle seyntis that ben at Effesie, and to the feithful men in Jhesu Crist,
2 grace be to you and pees of God, oure fader, and oure Lord Jhesu Crist.
3 Blessid be God and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that hath blessid vs in al spiritual blessing in heuenli thingis in Crist,
4 as he hath chosun vs in hym silf bifor the makyng of the world, that we weren hooli, and with out wem in his siyt, in charite.
5 Which hath bifor ordeyned vs in to adopcioun of sones bi Jhesu Crist in to hym, bi the purpos of his wille,
6 in to the heriyng of the glorie of his grace;
7 in which he hath glorified vs in his dereworthe sone. In whom we han redempcioun bi his blood, foryyuenesse of synnes, aftir the ritchessis of his grace,
8 that aboundide greetli in vs in al wisdom and prudence,
9 to make knowun to vs the sacrament of his wille, bi the good plesaunce of hym; the which sacrament he purposide in
10 hym in the dispensacioun of plente of tymes to enstore alle thingis in Crist, whiche ben in heuenes, and whiche ben in erthe, in hym.
11 In whom we ben clepid bi sort, bifor ordeyned bi the purpos of hym that worchith alle thingis bi the counsel of his wille;
12 that we be in to the heriyng of his glorie, we that han hopid bifor in Crist.
13 In whom also ye weren clepid, whanne ye herden the word of treuthe, the gospel of youre heelthe, in whom ye bileuynge ben merkid with the Hooli Goost of biheest, which is the ernes of oure eritage,
14 in to the redempcioun of purchasyng, in to heriyng of his glorie.
15 Therfor and Y herynge youre feith, that is in Crist Jhesu, and the loue in to alle seyntis,
16 ceesse not to do thankyngis for you, makynge mynde of you in my preieris;
17 that God of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, the fadir of glorie, yyue to you the spirit of wisdom and of reuelacioun, in to the knowyng of hym;
18 and the iyen of youre herte liytned, that ye wite, which is the hope of his clepyng, and whiche ben the richessis of the glorie of his eritage in seyntis;
19 and whych is the excellent greetnesse of his vertu in to vs that han bileuyd, bi the worchyng of the myyt of his vertu,
20 which he wrouyte in Crist, reisynge hym fro deth, and settynge him on his riyt half in heuenli thingis,
21 aboue ech principat, and potestat, and vertu, and domynacioun, and aboue ech name that is named, not oneli in this world, but also in the world to comynge;
22 and made alle thingis suget vndur hise feet, and yaf hym to be heed ouer al the chirche,
23 that is the bodi of hym, and the plente of hym, which is alle thingis in alle thingis fulfillid.
Chapter 2 edit
1 And whanne ye weren deed in youre giltis and synnes,
2 in which ye wandriden sum tyme aftir the cours of this world, aftir the prince of the power of this eir, of the spirit that worchith now in to the sones of vnbileue;
3 in which also we `alle lyueden sum tyme in the desiris of oure fleisch, doynge the willis of the fleisch and of thouytis, and we weren bi kynde the sones of wraththe, as othere men;
4 but God, that is riche in merci, for his ful myche charite in which he louyde vs,
5 yhe, whanne we weren deed in synnes, quikenede vs togidere in Crist, bi whos grace ye ben sauyd, and ayen reiside togidere,
6 and made togidere to sitte in heuenli thingis in Crist Jhesu;
7 that he schulde schewe in the worldis aboue comynge the plenteuouse ritchessis of his grace in goodnesse on vs in Crist Jhesu.
8 For bi grace ye ben sauyd bi feith, and this not of you; for it is the yifte of God,
9 not of werkis, that no man haue glorie.
10 For we ben the makyng of hym, maad of nouyt in Crist Jhesu, in good werkis, whiche God hath ordeyned, that we go in tho werkis.
11 For which thing be ye myndeful, that sumtyme ye weren hethene in fleisch, which weren seid prepucie, fro that that is seid circumcisioun maad bi hond in fleisch;
12 and ye weren in that time with out Crist, alienyd fro the lyuyng of Israel, and gestis of testamentis, not hauynge hope of biheest, and with outen God in this world.
13 But now in Crist Jhesu ye that weren sum tyme fer, ben maad nyy in the blood of Crist.
14 For he is oure pees, that made bothe oon, and vnbyndynge the myddil wal of a wal with out morter, enmytees in his fleisch;
15 and auoidide the lawe of maundementis bi domes, that he make twei in hym silf in to a newe man,
16 makynge pees, to recounsele bothe in o bodi to God bi the cros, sleynge the enemytees in hym silf.
17 And he comynge prechide pees to you that weren fer, and pees to hem that weren niy;
18 for bi hym we bothe han niy comyng in o spirit to the fadir.
19 Therfor now ye ben not gestis and straungeris, but ye ben citeseyns of seyntis, and houshold meine of God;
20 aboue bildid on the foundement of apostlis and of profetis, vpon that hiyeste corner stoon, Crist Jhesu;
21 in whom ech bildyng maad waxith in to an hooli temple in the Lord.
22 In whom also `be ye bildid togidere in to the habitacle of God, in the Hooli Goost.
Chapter 3 edit
1 For the grace of this thing I Poul, the boundun of Crist Jhesu, for you hethene men,
2 if netheles ye han herd the dispensacioun of Goddis grace, that is youun to me in you.
3 For bi reuelacioun the sacrament is maad knowun to me, as Y aboue wroot in schort thing,
4 as ye moun rede, and vndurstonde my prudence in the mysterie of Crist.
5 Which was not knowun to othere generaciouns to the sones of men, as it is now schewid to his hooli apostlis and prophetis in the spirit,
6 that hethene men ben euen eiris, and of oo bodi, and parteneris togidere of his biheest in Crist Jhesu bi the euangelie;
7 whos mynystre Y am maad, bi the yifte of Goddis grace, which is youun to me bi the worchyng of his vertu.
8 To me, leeste of alle seyntis, this grace is youun to preche among hethene men the vnserchable richessis of Crist, and to liytne alle men,
9 which is the dispensacioun of sacrament hid fro worldis in God, that made alle thingis of nouyt;
10 that the myche fold wisdom of God be knowun to princis and potestatis in heuenli thingis bi the chirche,
11 bi the bifore ordinaunce of worldis, which he made in Crist Jhesu oure Lord.
12 In whom we han trist and nyy comyng, in tristenyng bi the feith of hym.
13 For which thing Y axe, that ye faile not in my tribulaciouns for you, which is youre glorie.
14 For grace of this thing Y bowe my knees to the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist,
15 of whom ech fadirhod in heuenes and in erthe is named,
16 that he yyue to you, aftir the richessis of his glorie, vertu to be strengthid bi his spirit in the ynnere man,
17 that Crist dwelle bi feith in youre hertis; that ye rootid and groundid in charite,
18 moun comprehende with alle seyntis, which is the breede, and the lengthe, and the hiynesse, and the depnesse;
19 also to wite the charite of Crist more excellent than science, that ye be fillid in al the plentee of God.
20 And to hym that is myyti to do alle thingis more plenteuousli than we axen or vndurstondun, bi the vertu that worchith in vs,
21 to hym be glorie in the chirche, and in Crist Jhesu, in to alle the generaciouns of the world of worldis. Amen.
Chapter 4 edit
1 Therfor Y boundun for the Lord biseche you, that ye walke worthili in the clepyng,
2 in which ye ben clepid, with al mekenesse and myldenesse, with pacience supportinge ech other in charite,
3 bisi to kepe vnyte of spirit in the boond of pees.
4 O bodi and o spirit, as ye ben clepid in oon hope of youre cleping;
5 o Lord,
6 o feith, o baptym, o God and fadir of alle, which is aboue alle men, and bi alle thingis, and in vs alle.
7 But to ech of vs grace is youun bi the mesure of the yyuyng of Crist;
8 for which thing he seith, He stiynge an hiy, ledde caitifte caitif, he yaf yiftis to men.
9 But what is it, that he stiede vp, no but that also he cam doun first in to the lowere partis of the erthe?
10 He it is that cam doun, and that stiede on alle heuenes, that he schulde fille alle thingis.
11 And he yaf summe apostlis, summe prophetis, othere euangelistis, othere scheepherdis and techeris,
12 to the ful endyng of seyntis, in to the werk of mynystrie, in to edificacioun of Cristis bodi,
13 til we rennen alle, in to vnyte of feith and of knowyng of Goddis sone, in to a parfit man, aftir the mesure of age of the plente of Crist;
14 that we be not now litle children, mouynge as wawis, and be not borun aboute with ech wynd of teching, in the weiwardnesse of men, in sutil wit, to the disseyuyng of errour.
15 But do we treuthe in charite, and wexe in him by alle thingis, that is Crist oure heed;
16 of whom alle the bodi set togidere, and boundun togidere bi ech ioynture of vnder seruyng, bi worching in to the mesure of ech membre, makith encreesyng of the bodi, in to edificacioun of it silf in charite.
17 Therfor Y seie and witnesse this thing in the Lord, that ye walke not now, as hethene men walken, in the vanyte of her wit;
18 that han vndurstondyng derkned with derknessis, and ben alienyd fro the lijf of God, bi ignoraunce that is in hem, for the blyndenesse of her herte.
19 Which dispeirynge bitoken hem silf to vnchastite, in to the worchyng of al vnclennesse in coueitise.
20 But ye han not so lerud Crist, if netheles ye herden hym,
21 and ben tauyt in hym, as is treuthe in Jhesu.
22 Do ye awey bi the elde lyuyng the elde man, that is corrupt bi the desiris of errour;
23 and be ye renewlid in the spirit of youre soule;
24 and clothe ye the newe man, which is maad aftir God in riytwisnesse and hoolynesse of treuthe.
25 For which thing `ye putte awei leesyng, and speke ye treuthe ech man with his neiybore, for we ben membris ech to othere.
26 Be ye wrooth, and nyle ye do synne; the sunne falle not doun on youre wraththe.
27 Nyle ye yyue stide to the deuel.
28 He that stal, now stele he not; but more trauele he in worchinge with hise hondis that that is good, that he haue whereof he schal yyue to nedi.
29 Ech yuel word go not of youre mouth; but if ony is good to the edificacioun of feith, that it yyue grace to men that heren.
30 And nyle ye make the Hooli Goost of God sori, in which ye ben markid in the dai of redempcioun.
31 Al bitternesse, and wraththe, and indignacioun, and cry, and blasfemye be takun awey fro you, with al malice;
32 and be ye togidere benygne, merciful, foryyuynge togidere, as also God foryaf to you in Crist.
Chapter 5 edit
1 Therfor be ye foloweris of God, as moost dereworthe sones;
2 and walke ye in loue, as Crist louyde vs, and yaf hym silf for vs an offryng and a sacrifice to God, in to the odour of swetnesse.
3 And fornycacioun, and al vnclennesse, or aueryce, be not named among you, as it bicometh holi men;
4 ethir filthe, or foli speche, or harlatrye, that perteyneth not to profit, but more doyng of thankyngis.
5 For wite ye this, and vndurstonde, that ech letchour, or vnclene man, or coueytouse, that serueth to mawmetis, hath not eritage in the kingdom of Crist and of God.
6 No man disseyue you bi veyn wordis; for whi for these thingis the wraththe of God cam on the sones of vnbileue.
7 Therfor nyle ye be maad parteneris of hem.
8 For ye weren sum tyme derknessis, but now `ye ben liyt in the Lord. Walke ye as the sones of liyt.
9 For the fruyt of liyt is in al goodnesse, and riytwisnesse, and treuthe.
10 And preue ye what `thing is wel plesynge to God.
11 And nyle ye comyne to vnfruytouse werkis of derknessis; but more repreue ye.
12 For what thingis ben don of hem in priuy, it is foule, yhe, to speke.
13 And alle thingis that ben repreuyd of the liyt, ben opynli schewid; for al thing that is schewid, is liyt.
14 For which thing he seith, Rise thou that slepist, and rise vp fro deth, and Crist schal liytne thee.
15 Therfor, britheren, se ye, hou warli ye schulen go;
16 not as vnwise men, but as wise men, ayenbiynge tyme, for the daies ben yuele.
17 Therfor nyle ye be maad vnwise, but vndurstondynge which is the wille of God.
18 And nyle ye be drunkun of wyn, in which is letcherie, but be ye fillid with the Hooli Goost; and speke ye to you silf in salmes,
19 and ymnes, and spiritual songis, syngynge and seiynge salm in youre hertis to the Lord;
20 euermore doynge thankingis for alle thingis in the name of oure Lord Jhesu Crist to God and to the fadir.
21 Be ye suget togidere in the drede of Crist.
22 Wymmen, be thei suget to her hosebondis,
23 as to the Lord, for the man is heed of the wymman, as Crist is heed of the chirche; he is sauyour of his bodi.
24 But as the chirche is suget to Crist, so wymmen to her hosebondis in alle thingis.
25 Men, loue ye youre wyues, as Crist louyde the chirche, and yaf hym silf for it, to make it holi;
26 and clenside it with the waisching of watir, in the word of lijf,
27 to yyue the chirche gloriouse to hym silf, that it hadde no wem, ne ryueling, or ony siche thing, but that it be hooli and vndefoulid.
28 So and men `schulen loue her wyues, as her owne bodies. He that loueth his wijf, loueth hym silf;
29 for no man hatide euere his owne fleisch, but nurischith and fostrith it, as Crist doith the chirche.
30 And we ben membris of his bodi, of his fleisch, and of his boonys.
31 For this thing a man schal forsake his fadir and modir, and he schal drawe to his wijf; and thei schulen be tweyne in o fleisch.
32 This sacrament is greet; yhe, Y seie in Crist, and in the chirche.
33 Netheles ye alle, ech man loue his wijf as hym silf; and the wijf drede hir hosebonde.
Chapter 6 edit
1 Sones, obeische ye to youre fadir and modir, in the Lord; for this thing is riytful.
2 Onoure thou thi fadir and thi modir, that is the firste maundement in biheest;
3 that it be wel to thee, and that thou be long lyuynge on the erthe.
4 And, fadris, nyle ye terre youre sones to wraththe; but nurische ye hem in the teching and chastising of the Lord.
5 Seruauntis, obeische ye to fleischli lordis with drede and trembling, in simplenesse of youre herte, as to Crist;
6 not seruynge at the iye, as plesinge to men, but as seruauntis of Crist; doynge the wille of God bi discrecioun,
7 with good wille seruynge as to the Lord, and not as to men;
8 witinge that ech man, what euere good thing he schal do, he schal resseyue this of the Lord, whether seruaunt, whether fre man.
9 And, ye lordis, do the same thingis to hem, foryyuynge manaasis; witinge that bothe her Lord and youre is in heuenes, and the taking of persones is not anentis God.
10 Her aftirward, britheren, be ye coumfortid in the Lord, and in the miyt of his vertu.
11 Clothe you with the armere of God, that ye moun stonde ayens aspiynges of the deuel.
12 For whi stryuyng is not to vs ayens fleisch and blood, but ayens princis and potestatis, ayens gouernours of the world of these derknessis, ayens spiritual thingis of wickidnesse, in heuenli thingis.
13 Therfor take ye the armere of God, that ye moun ayenstonde in the yuel dai; and in alle thingis stonde perfit.
14 Therfor stonde ye, and be gird aboute youre leendis in sothefastnesse, and clothid with the haburioun of riytwisnesse,
15 and youre feet schood in making redi of the gospel of pees.
16 In alle thingis take ye the scheld of feith, in which ye moun quenche alle the firy dartis of `the worste.
17 And take ye the helm of helthe, and the swerd of the Goost, that is, the word of God.
18 Bi al preier and bisechyng preie ye al tyme in spirit, and in hym wakinge in al bisynesse, and bisechyng for alle hooli men, and for me;
19 that word be youun to me in openyng of my mouth, with trist to make knowun the mysterie of the gospel,
20 for which Y am set in message in a chayne; so that in it Y be hardi to speke, as it bihoueth me.
21 And ye wite, what thingis ben aboute me, what Y do, Titicus, my moost dere brother, and trewe mynystre in the Lord, schal make alle thingis knowun to you;
22 whom Y sente to you for this same thing, that ye knowe what thingis ben aboute vs, and that he coumforte youre hertis.
23 Pees to britheren, and charite, with feith of God oure fadir, and of the Lord Jhesu Crist.
24 Grace with alle men that louen oure Lord Jhesu Crist in vncorrupcioun. Amen, `that is, So be it.