We raedadh on dhaere b['e]c the is geh['a]ten Actus Apostolorum, th['ae]t
dha apostolas geh['a]dodon seofon diaconas on dhaere geladhunge the of
Iudeiscum folce to Cristes geleafan beah, aefter his dhrowunge, and
['ae]riste of deadhe, and upstige to heofenum. Thaera diacona waes se forma
STEPHANUS, the we on dhisum daege wurdhiadh. He waes swidhe geleafful, and
mid tham Halgum Gaste afylled. Tha odhre six waeron gecigede dhisum namum:
Stephanus waes se fyrmesta, odher Philippus, thridda Procorus, feordha
Nicanor, fifta Timotheus, sixta Parmenen, seofodha Nicolaus. Dhas seofon
h['i] gecuron and gesetton on dhaera apostola gesihdhe, and hi dha mid
gebedum and bletsungum to diaconum gehadode wurdon. Weox dha daeghwonlice
Godes bodung, and waes gemenigfylld thaet getel cristenra manna thearle on
Hierusalem. Tha weardh se eadiga Stephanus mid Godes gife, and mid micelre
strencdhe afylled, and worhte forebeacena and micele t['a]cna on dham
folce. Dha astodon sume dha ungeleaffullan Iudei, and woldon mid heora
gedwylde thaes eadigan martyres l['a]re oferswidhan; ac hi ne mihton his
wisdome widhstandan, ne dham Halgum Gaste, dhe dhurh hine spraec. Tha
setton h['i] lease gewitan, dhe hine forlugon, and cwaedon, thaet h['e]
t['a]llice word spraece be Moyse and be Gode. Thaet folc weardh dha micclum
astyred, and tha heafod-menn, and tha Iudeiscan boceras, and gelaehton
Stephanum, and tugon to heora getheahte; and dha leasan gewitan him on {46}
besaedon, "Ne geswicdh dhes man to sprecenne tallice word ongean thas
halgan stowe and Godes ['ae]. We gehyrdon hine secgan thaet Crist towyrpdh
thas stowe, and towent dha gesetnysse dhe ['u]s Moyses taehte." Tha
beheoldon dha hine dhe on tham gedheahte saeton, and gesawon his nebwlite
swylce sumes engles ansyne. Dha cwaedh se ealdor-biscop to dham eadigan
cydhere, "Is hit swa h['i] secgadh?" Dha wolde se halga wer Stephanus heora
ungeleaffullan heortan gerihtlaecan mid heora fordhfaedera gebysnunge and
gemynde, and to sodhfaestnysse wege mid ealre lufe gebigan. Begann dha him
to reccenne be dham heahfaedere Abrahame, hu se heofenlica God hine geceas
him to gethoftan, and him behet, thaet ealle dheoda on his ofspringe
gebletsode wurdon, for his gehyrsumnesse. Swa eac dhaera odhra heahfaedera
gemynd, mid langsumere race, aetforan him geniwode; and hu Moyses, dhurh
Godes mihte, heora foregengan ofer dha Readan Sae wundorlice gelaedde, and
h['u] h['i] sidhdhan feowertig geara on westene waeron, mid heofenlicum
bigleofan daeghwonlice gereordode; and hu God h['i] laedde to dham
Iudeiscan earde, and dha haedhenan dheoda aetforan heora gesihdhum eallunga
adwaescte; and be Dauides maerdhe, thaes maeran cyninges, and Salomones
wuldre, dhe Gode thaet maere tempel araerde. Cwaedh tha aet nextan, "Ge
widhstandadh tham Halgum Gaste mid stidhum swuran, and ungeleaffulre
heortan; ge sind meldan and manslagan, and ge dhone rihtwisan Crist
nidhfullice acwealdon; ge underfengon ['ae] on engla gesetnysse, and ge hit
ne heoldon." Hwaet dha Iudeiscan tha wurdon thearle on heora heortan
astyrode, and biton heora tedh him togeanes. Se halga Stephanus weardh tha
afylled mid tham Halgum Gaste, and beheold widh heofonas weard, and geseah
Godes wuldor, and thone Haelend standende aet his Faeder swidhran; and he
cwaedh, "Efne ic geseo heofenas opene, and mannes Sunu standende aet Godes
swidhran." Iudei dha, mid micelre stemne hrymende, heoldon heora earan, and
anmodlice him to scuton, and hi hine gelaehton, and of dhaere byrig
gelaeddon to staenenne. Tha leas-gewitan dha l['e]don heora {48} hacelan
aetforan fotum sumes geonges cnihtes, se waes geciged SAULUS. Ongunnon dha
oftorfian mid heardum stanum dhone eadigan Stephanum; and h['e] clypode,
and cwaedh, "Drihten H['ae]lend, onf['o]h minne gast." And gebigde his
cneowu, mid micelre stemne clypigende, "Min Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas daeda
him to synne." And h['e] mid tham worde dha gew['a]t to dhan Aelmihtigum
Haelende, the he on heofenan healicne standende geseah.
Se wisa Augustinus spraec ymbe dhas raedinge, and smeade hw['i] se halga
cydhere Stephanus cwaede thaet he gesawe mannes bearn standan aet Godes
swydhran, and nolde cwedhan Godes bearn; thonne dhe is gethuht wurdhlicor
be Criste to cwedhenne Godes Bearn dhonne mannes Bearn. Ac hit gedafenode
thaet se Haelend swa geswutelod waere on heofenum, and swa gebodod on
middangearde. Eall dhaera Iudeiscra teona aras thurh thaet, hw['i] Drihten
Crist, sedhe aefter flaesce sodhlice is mannes Sunu, eac swilce waere
gecweden Godes Sunu? fordhi gemunde swidhe gedafenlice thaet godcunde
gewrit, mannes Sunu standan aet Godes swidhran to gescyndenne thaera
Iudeiscra ['u]ngeleaffulnysse. Crist waes aeteowed his eadigan cydhere
Stephane on heofenum, sedhe fram ungeleaffullum on middangearde acweald
waes, and seo heofenlice sodhfaestnyss be dham cydde gecydhnysse, thone seo
eordhlice arleasnyss huxlice taelde. Hw['a] maeg beon rihtlice gec['i]ged
mannes Bearn, buton Criste anum, thonne aelc man is twegra manna bearn,
buton him anum? Se eadiga Stephanus geseah Crist standan, fordhan the he
waes his gefylsta on dham gastlicum gefeohte his martyrdomes. Witodlice we
andettadh on urum credan, thaet Drihten sitt aet his Faeder swidhran. Setl
gedafenadh d['e]man, and steall fylstendum odhdhe feohtendum. Nu andet ure
geleafa Cristes setl, fordhan dhe h['e] is se sodha d['e]ma lybbendra and
deadra: and se eadiga cydhere Stephanus h['i]ne geseah standende, fordhan
dhe he waes his gefylsta, swa swa we ['ae]r saedon. Ealra gecorenra halgena
deadh is deorwurdhe on Godes gesihdhe; ac dheah-hwaedhere is gethuht, gif
aenig tod['a]l beon maeg betwux {50} martyrum, thaet se is healicost sedhe
dhone martyrdom aefter Gode astealde. Witodlice Stephanus waes to diacone
geh['a]dod aet dhaera apostola handum; ac h['e] h['i] forest['o]p on
heofenan rice mid sigefaestum deadhe; and swa se dhe waes neodhor on
endebyrdnysse, weardh fyrmest on dhrowunge; and se dhe waes leorning-cniht
on h['a]de, ongann wesan l['a]reow on martyrdome. Dhone deadh sodhlice the
se Haelend gemedemode for mannum throwian, dhone ageaf Stephanus fyrmest
manna tham Haelende. He is gecweden protomartyr, thaet is se forma cydhere,
fordhan dhe h['e] aefter Cristes dhrowunge aerest martyrd['o]m gedhrowode.
Stephanus is Grecisc nama, thaet is on Leden, Coronatus, thaet we cwedhadh
on Englisc, Gewuldorbeagod; fordhan dhe h['e] haefdh thone ecan wuldorbeah,
swa swa his nama him forew['i]tegode. Tha leasan gewitan, dhe hine
forsaedon, h['i]ne ongunnon aerest to torfienne; fordhan the Moyses ['ae]
taehte, thaet swa hw['a] swa odherne to deadhe fors['ae]de, sceolde wurpan
dhone forman st['a]n to dham dhe h['e] aer mid his tungan acwealde. Dha
redhan Iudei wedende thone halgan st['ae]ndon: and h['e] clypode, and
cwaedh, "Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas d['ae]da him to synne."
Understandadh nu, mine gebrodhra, tha micclan lufe thaes eadigan weres. On
deadhe h['e] waes gesett, and dheah he baed mid sodhre lufe for his
cwelleras; and betwux dhaera stana hryre, dhadha gehw['a] mihte his
leofostan frynd forgytan, dha betaehte h['e] his fynd Gode, thus cwedhende,
"Drihten, ne sete thu dhas daeda him to synne." Swidhor he besorgade tha
heora synna thonne his agene wunda; swidhor heora arleasnysse thonne his
sylfes deadh; and rihtlice swidhor, fordhan dhe heora arleasnysse fyligde
se eca deadh, and thaet ece l['i]f fyligde his deadhe. Saulus heold dhaera
leasra gewitena reaf, and heora mod to thaere staeninge geornlice tihte.
Stephanus sodhlice gebigedum cneowum Drihten baed thaet h['e] Saulum
alysde. Weardh dha Stephanes b['e]n fram Gode gehyred, and Saulus weardh
alysed. Se ['a]rfaesta waes gehyred, and se arleasa weardh gerihtwisod.
On dhyssere daede is geswutelod hu micclum fremige thaere {52} sodhan lufe
gebed. Witodlice naefde Godes geladhung Paulum to lareowe, gif se halga
martyr Stephanus swa ne baede. Efne n['u] Paulus blissadh mid Stephane on
heofenan rice; mid Stephane h['e] bricdh Cristes beorhtnysse, and mid him
h['e] rixadh. Thider dhe Stephanus forest['o]p, mid Saules stanum oftorfod,
dhider folgode Paulus gefultumod thurh Stephanes gebedu. Thaer nis Paulus
gescynd thurh Stephanes slege, ac Stephanus gladadh on Paules
gefaerraedene; fordhan the seo sodhe lufu on heora aegdhrum blissadh. Seo
sodhe lufu oferwann dhaera Iudeiscra redhnysse on Stephane, and seo ylce
lufu oferwreah synna micelnysse on Paule, and heo on heora aegdhrum samod
geearnode heofenan rice. Eornostlice seo sodhe lufu is wylspring and
ordfruma ealra godnyssa and aedhele trumnys, and se weg the l['ae]t to
heofonum. Se dhe faerdh on sodhre lufe ne maeg h['e] dwelian, ne forhtian:
heo gewissadh, and gescylt, and gelaet. Thurh tha sodhan lufe waes thes
halga martyr swa gebyld thaet he bealdlice dhaera Iudeiscra
ungeleaffulnysse dhreade, and he ['o]rsorh betwux dham greatum hagolstanum
thurhwunode; and he for dham staenendum welwillende gebaed, and thaer
to-eacan dha heofenlican healle cucu and gewuldorbeagod inn-ferde.
Mine gebrodhra, uton geefenlaecan be sumum daele swa miccles lareowes
geleafan, and swa maeres cydheres lufe. Uton lufian ure gebrodhra on Godes
geladhunge mid swilcum mode swa swa dhes cydhere tha lufode his fynd. Beodh
gemyndige hwaet seo sylfe Sodhfaestnys on dham halgan godspelle beh['e]t,
and hwilc wedd us gesealde. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Gif ge forgyfadh tham
mannum the widh eow agyltadh, thonne forgyfdh eow eower Faeder eowere
synna: gif ge dhonne nelladh forgyfan, nele eac eower Faeder eow forgifan
eowere gyltas." Ge gehyradh nu, mine gebrodhra, thaet hit stent thurh Godes
gyfe on urum agenum dihte hu ['u]s bidh aet Gode ged['e]med. He cwaedh,
"Gif ge forgyfadh, eow bidh forgyfen." Ne bepaece n['a]n man hine sylfne:
witodlice gif hwa furdhon aenne man hatadh on dhisum middangearde, swa
hwaet swa he to g['o]de ged['e]dh, eal {54} he hit forlyst; fordhan dhe se
apostol Paulus ne bidh geligenod, the cwaedh, "Theah dhe ic aspende ealle
mine aehta on dhearfena bigleofan, and dheah dhe ic minne agenne lichaman
to cwale gesylle, swa dhaet ic forbyrne on martyrdome; gif ic naebbe dha
sodhan lufe, ne fremadh hit me nan dhing." Be dhan ylcan cwaedh se
godspellere Iohannes, "Sedhe his brodhor ne lufadh, he wunadh on deadhe."
Eft h['e] cwaedh, "Aelc dhaera the his brodhor hatadh is manslaga." Ealle
we sind gebrodhra the on God gelyfadh, and we ealle cwedhadh, "Pater noster
qui es in celis," thaet is, "Ure Faeder the eart on heofonum." Ne
gedyrstlaece nan man be maegdhhade, butan sodhre lufe. Ne truwige nan man
be aelmesdaedum odhdhe on gebedum, butan dhaere foresaedan lufe; fordhan
dhe swa lange swa h['e] hylt dhone sweartan nidh on his heortan, ne maeg he
mid nanum dhinge thone mildheortan God gegladian. Ac gif he wille thaet him
God milde s['y], thonne hlyste h['e] g['o]des raedes, na of minum mudhe, ac
of Cristes sylfes: he cwaedh, "Gif dhu offrast dhine l['a]c to Godes
weofode, and thu thaer gemyndig bist thaet dhin brodhor haefdh sum dhing
ongean dhe, forlaet dhaerrihte dha l['a]c aetforan dham weofode, and gang
aerest to thinum bredher, and the to him gesibsuma; and dhonne dhu eft
cymst to dham weofode, geoffra dhonne dhine l['a]c." Gif dhu dhonne thinum
cristenum bredher deredest, thonne haefdh he sum dhing ongean dhe, and thu
scealt be Godes taecunge hine gegladian, aer dhu dhine l['a]c geoffrige.
Gif dhonne se cristena mann, the dhin brodhor is, dhe ahwar geyfelode,
thaet dhu scealt miltsigende forgifan. Ure gastlican l['a]c sind ure
gebedu, and lofsang, and husel-halgung, and gehwilce odhre l['a]c dhe we
Gode offriadh, tha we sceolon mid gesibsumere heortan and brodherlicere
lufe Gode betaecan. Nu cwydh sum man ongean dhas raedinge, Ne maeg ic minne
feond lufian, dhone dhe ic daeghwonlice waelhreowne togeanes me geseo. Eala
dhu mann, thu sceawast hwaet dhin brodhor the dyde, and thu ne sceawast
hwaet dhu Gode gedydest. Thonne dhu micele swaerran synna widh God
gefremodest, hw['i] nelt dhu forgyfan dha lytlan gyltas anum menn, thaet se
Aelmihtiga God the dha micclan {56} synna forgyfe? Nu cwyst dhu eft, Micel
gedeorf bidh me thaet ic minne feond lufige, and for dhone gebidde the me
hearmes cepdh. Ne widhcwedhe we thaet hit micel gedeorf ne sy; ac gif hit
is hefigtyme on dhyssere worulde, hit becymdh to micelre mede on dhaere
toweardan. Witodlice thurh dhines feondes lufe thu bist Godes freond; and
na thaet an thaet dhu his freond sy, ac eac swilce thu bist Godes bearn,
thurh dha raedene thaet thu thinne feond lufige; swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh,
"Lufiadh eowere fynd, dodh tham tela the eow hatiadh, thaet ge beon eoweres
Faeder cild, sedhe on heofenum is." Menigfealde earfodhnyssa and hospas
wolde gehw['a] eadhelice forberan widh than thaet he moste sumum rican men
to bearne geteald beon, and his yrfenuma to gewitendlicum aehtum: forberadh
nu gedhyldelice for dham ecan wurdhmynte, thaet ge Godes bearn getealde
beon, and his yrfenuman on heofenlicum spedum, thaet thaet se odher
fordhyldigan wolde for ateorigendlicere edwiste.
We secgadh eow Godes riht; healdadh gif ge willon. Gif we hit forsuwiadh,
ne bidh us geborgen. Cristes lufu us neadadh thaet we simle tha g['o]dan
tihton, thaet h['i] on g['o]dnysse thurhwunion; and dha yfelan we
mynegiadh, thaet h['i] fram heora yfelnessum hraedlice gecyrron. Ne beo se
rihtwisa gymeleas on his anginne, ne se yfela ortruwige dhurh his
unrihtwisnysse. Ondraede se goda thaet h['e] fealle; hogige se yfela thaet
h['e] astande. Se dhe yfel sy geefenlaece h['e] Paules gecyrrednysse; se
dhe g['o]d sy thurhwunige h['e] on g['o]dnysse mid Stephane; fordhan dhe ne
bidh n['a]n anginn herigendlic butan godre geendunge. Aelc lof bidh on ende
gesungen.
Mine gebrodhra, gyrstan-daeg gemedemode ure Drihten hine sylfne, thaet
h['e] dhysne middangeard thurh sodhe menniscnysse geneosode: nu to-d['ae]g
se aedhela cempa Stephanus, fram lichamlicere wununge gewitende, sigefaest
to heofenum ferde. Crist nidher-ast['a]h, mid flaesce bewaefed; Stephanus
up-ast['a]h, thurh his blod gewuldorbeagod. Gyrstan-daeg sungon englas
"Gode wuldor on heannyssum;" nu to-daeg h['i] underfengon Stephanum
blissigende on heora geferraedene, mid tham h['e] wuldradh and blissadh
['a] on ecnysse. Amen.