1 A feithful word. If ony man desirith a bishopriche, he desirith a good werk.

2 Therfor it bihoueth a byschop to be with out repreef, the hosebonde of o wijf, sobre, prudent, chast, vertewous, holdinge hospitalite, a techere;

3 not youun myche to wyn, not a smytere, but temperat, not ful of chiding, not coueitouse, wel reulinge his hous,

4 and haue sones suget with al chastite;

5 for if ony man kan not gouerne his house, hou schal he haue diligence of the chirche of God? not new conuertid to the feith,

6 lest he be borun vp in to pride, and falle in to doom of the deuel.

7 For it bihoueth hym to haue also good witnessing of hem that ben with outforth, that he falle not in to repreef, and in to the snare of the deuel.

8 Also it bihoueth dekenes to be chast, not double tungid, not youun myche to wyn, not suynge foul wynnyng;

9 that han the mysterie of feith in clene conscience.

10 But be thei preued first, and mynystre so, hauynge no cryme.

11 Also it bihoueth wymmen to be chast, not bacbitinge, sobre, feithful in alle thingis.

12 Dekenes be hosebondis of o wijf; whiche gouerne wel her sones and her housis.

13 For thei that mynystren wel, schulen gete a good degre to hem silf, and myche triste in the feith, that is in Crist Jhesu.

14 Sone Timothe, Y write to thee these thingis, hopinge that Y schal come soon to thee;

15 but if Y tarie, that thou wite, hou it bihoueth thee to lyue in the hous of God, that is the chirche of lyuynge God, a pilere and sadnesse of treuthe.

16 And opynli it is a greet sacrament of pitee, that thing that was schewid in fleisch, it is iustified in spirit, it apperid to aungels, it is prechid to hethene men, it is bileuyd in the world, it is takun vp in glorie.