Þe Prolog on Þe Piſtil to Laodicenſis edit
Here bigynneþ a prolog on þe piſtil to Laodicenſis
Laodicenſis ben also Colocenſes, as tweye townes and oo peple in maners. Þeſe ben of Asie, and among hem hadden be falſe apoſtils, and diſceyuede manye. Þerfore þe poſtle bringiþ hem to mynde of his conuerſacion and trewe preching of þe goſpel, and excitiþ hem to be ſtidfaſt in þe trewe witt and loue of Criſt, and to be of oo wil. But þis piſtil is not in comyn Latyn bookis, and þerfor it was but late tranſlatid into Engliſch tunge.
Þus endiþ þe prolog, and biginneþ þe piſtil to Laodicenſis.
Here bigynneþ þe epiſtle to þe Laodicenſes, which is not in þe cannon.
Poul, apoſtle, not of men, ne by man, but bi Jheſu Criſt, to þe briþeren þat ben at Laodice, grace to ȝou, and pees of God þe fadir, and of þe Lord Jheſu Criſt. I do þankyngis to my God bi al my prier, þat ȝe be dwelling and laſtyng in him, abiding þe biheeſt in þe day of doom. For neiþir þe veyn ſpekyng of ſumme vnwiſe men haþ lettide ȝou, þe whiche wolden turne ȝou fro þe treuþe of þe goſpel, þat is prechid of me. And now hem þat ben of me, to þe profiȝt of truþe of þe goſpel, God ſchal make diſſeruyng, and doyng benygnyte of werkis and helþe of euerlaſting lijf. And now my boondis ben open, which Y ſuffre in Criſt Jheſu, in whiche Y glade and ioie. And þat is to me to euerlaſtyng helþe, þat þis ſame þing be doon by ȝoure preiers, and mynyſtryng of þe Holi Gooſt, eiþer bi lijf, eiþer bi deeþ. Forſoþe to me it is lijf to lyue in Criſt, and to die ioie. And his mercy ſchal do in ȝou þe ſame þing, þat ȝe moun haue þe ſame loue, and þat ȝe be of oo will. Þerfore, ȝe weel biloued briþeren, holde ȝe, and do ȝe in þe dreede of God, as ȝe han herde þe preſence of me; and lijf ſchal be to ȝou wiþouten eende. Soþeli it is God þat worchiþ in ȝou. And, my weel biloued briþeren, do ȝe wiþout eny wiþdrawyng what euer þingis ȝe don. Joie ȝe in Criſt, and eſchewe ȝe men defoulid in lucre, eiþer foul wynnyng. Be alle ȝoure aſkyngis open anentis God, and be ȝe ſtidefaſt in þe witt of Criſt. And do ȝe þo þingis þat ben hool, and trewe, and chaaſt, and iuſt, and able to be loued; and kepe ȝe in herte þo þingis þat ȝe haue herd and take; and pees ſchal be to ȝou. Alle holi men greten ȝou weel. Þe grace of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt be wiþ ȝoure ſpirit. And do ȝe þat piſtil of Colocenſis to be red to ȝou.
Here eendiþ þe piſtil to Laodicenſis, and bigynneþ a prolog on þe firſte piſtil to Teſſalonicenſis.