Se Godspellere Lucas beleac this daegtherlice godspel mid feawum wordum, ac
hit is mid menigfealdre mihte thaere heofenlican gerynu afylled. He cwaedh,
"Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, uocatum est
nomen ejus Iesus, quod uocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero
conciperetur." Thaet is on ure gedheode, "Aefter than dhe w['ae]ron
gefyllede ehta dagas Drihtnes acennednysse thaet he ymbsniden waere, tha
waes his nama geciged Iesus, thaet is Haelend, dham naman he waes
geh['a]ten fram dham engle, aerdham the h['e] on innodhe geeacnod waere."
Abraham se heahfaeder waes aerest manna ymbsniden, be Godes haese. Abraham
waes Godes gespreca, and God to him genam gethoftraedene aefter Noes
fl['o]de swidhost, and him to cwaedh, "Ic eom Aelmihtig Drihten, gang
beforan me, and beo fulfremed. And ic sette min wed betwux me and dhe; and
ic dhe thearle gemenigfylde, and thu bist manegra theoda faeder. Cyningas
aspringadh of dhe, and ic sette min wed betwux me and dhe, and thinum
ofspringe aefter dhe, thaet ic beo dhin God and dhines ofspringes." Abraham
hine astrehte eallum limum to eordhan, and God him to cwaedh, "Heald thu
min wed, and thin ofspring aefter dhe on heora maegdhum. Dhis is min wed,
thaet ge healdan sceolon betwux me and eow; thaet aelc hyse-cild on eowrum
cynrene beo ymbsniden: thaet t['a]cn sy betwux me and eow. Aelc hyse-cild,
thonne hit eahta nihta {92} eald bidh, sy ymbsniden, aegdher ge aethelboren
ge theowetling; and sedhe this forgaeidh his sawul losadh, fordhan the
h['e] min wed a['y]dlode. Ne beo dhu geciged heonon-fordh Abram, ac
Abraham, fordhan the ic gesette dhe manegra theoda faeder. Ne dhin wif ne
beo gehaten Sara['i], ac beo gehaten Sarra; and ic h['i] gebletsige, and of
hire ic dhe sylle sunu, thone dhu gecigest Isaac; and ic sette min wed to
him and to his ofspringe on ecere faestnunge. And aefter dhaere spraece se
Aelmihtiga up gewende." On tham ylcan daege waes Abraham ymbsniden, and eal
his hyred, and sydhdhan his sunu Isaac, on dham eahtodhan daege his
acennednysse.
Abrahames nama waes aet fruman mid fif stafum gecweden, Abram, thaet is,
'Healic faeder'; ac God geyhte his naman mid twam stafum, and gehet hine
Abraham, thaet is, 'Manegra dheoda faeder'; fordhan the God cwaedh, thaet
he hine gesette manegum dheodum to faeder. Sara['i] waes his w['i]f
gehaten, thaet is gereht, 'Min ealdor,' ac God hi het sydhdhan Sarra, thaet
is, 'Ealdor,' thaet heo naere synderlice hire hiredes ealdor geciged, ac
fordhrihte 'Ealdor'; thaet is to understandenne ealra gelyfedra wifa moder.
Hund-teontig geara waes Abraham, and his gebedda hund-nigontig, aerdhan dhe
him cild gemaene waere. Thadha him cild com, tha com hit mid Godes
foresceawunge and bletsunge to than swidhe, thaet God behet eallum mancynne
bletsunge thurh his cynn. Dha heold Abrahames cynn symle sydhdhan Godes
wed; and se heretoga Moyses, and eal Israhela maegdh ealle hi ymbsnidon
heora cild on tham eahtodhan daege, and him naman gesceopon, odh thaet
Crist on menniscnysse acenned weardh, sedhe fulluht astealde, and dhaere
ealdan ['ae] getacnunge to gastlicere sodhfaestnysse awende.
W['e]n is thaet eower sum nyte hwaet sy ymbsnidennys. God bebead Abrahame,
thaet he sceolde and his ofspring his wed healdan; thaet sum tacn waere on
heora lichaman to geswutelunge thaet hi on God belyfdon, and het thaet he
n['a]me scearpecgedne flint, and forcurfe sumne dael thaes felles aet {94}
foreweardan his gesceape. And thaet tacn waes dha swa micel on geleaffullum
mannum, swa micel swa nu is thaet halige fulluht, buton dham anum thaet nan
man ne mihte Godes rice gefaran, aerdhan the se come the dha ealdan ['ae]
sette, and eft on his andwerdnysse h['i] to gastlicum thingum awende: ac
gehwylce halgan andbidodon on Abrahames wununge buton tintregum, theah on
helle-wite, odhthaet se Alysend com, the dhone ealdan deofol gewylde, and
his gecorenan to heofenan rice gelaedde.
Se ylca Haelend, the nu egefullice and halwendlice clypadh on his
godspelle, "Buton gehwa beo ge-edcenned of waetere and of tham Halgum
Gaste, ne maeg he faran into heofenan rice," se ylca clypode gefyrn thurh
dha ealdan ['ae], "Swa hwylc hyse-cild swa ne bidh ymbsniden on tham
fylmene his flaesces his sawul losadh, fordhan the he aydlode min wed."
This tacen st['o]d on Godes folce odh thaet Crist sylf com, and he sylf
waes thaere halgan ['ae] undertheod the he gesette, thaet he dha alysde the
neadwislice dhaere ['ae] undertheodde waeron. He cwaedh thaet he ne c['o]me
to dhy thaet he wolde tha ealdan ['ae] towurpan, ac gefyllan. Tha weardh he
on tham eahtodhan daege his gebyrd-tide lichamlice ymbsniden, swa swa he
sylf aer taehte; and mid tham geswutelode thaet seo ealde ['ae] waes halig
and g['o]d on hire timan, tham dhe hire gehyrsume waeron. Hit waes
gewunelic thaet tha magas sceoldon tham cilde naman gescyppan on dham
eahtodhan daege mid thaere ymbsnidennysse, ac h['i] ne dorston naenne
odherne naman Criste gescyppan thonne se heah-engel him gesette, aerdhan
the h['e] on his modor innodhe geeacnod waere, thaet is, IESUS, and on urum
gereorde, HAELEND, fordhan dhe he gehaeldh his folc fram heora synnum.
Nis nu alyfed cristenum mannum thaet hi thas ymbsnidennysse lichamlice
healdan, ac theah-hwaedhere nan man ne bidh sodhlice cristen, buton he dha
ymbsnidennysse on gastlicum dheawum gehealde. Hwaet getacnadh thaes
fylmenes of-cyrf on dham gesceape, buton galnysse wanunge? Eadhe mihte thes
cwyde beon laewedum mannum bediglod, naere seo gastlice getacning. Hit
dhincdh ungelaeredum mannum dyselig to {96} gehyrenne; ac gif hit him
dyslic thince, thonne cide he widh God, the hit gesette, na widh us, the
hit secgadh. Ac wite gehwa to gewissan, buton he his flaesclican lustas and
galnysse gewanige, thaet he ne hylt his cristend['o]m mid rihtum biggenge.
Be dhysum dhinge ge habbadh oft gehyred, ac us is acumendlicere eower
gebelh, thonne thaes Aelmihtigan Godes grama, gif we his bebodu forsuwiadh.
Gif ge willadh aefter menniscum gesceade lybban, thonne sind ge gastlice
ymbsnidene; gif ge thonne eowere galnysse undertheodde beodh, thonne beo ge
swa se witega cwaedh, "Se mann dhadha he on wurdhmynte waes he hit ne
understod; he is fordhy widhmeten stuntum nytenum, and is him gel['i]c
geworden."
Fordhy sealde God mannum gesce['a]d, thaet hi sceoldon oncnawan heora
Scyppend, and mid biggenge his beboda thaet ece lif geearnian. Witodlice se
fyrenfulla bidh earmra dhonne aenig nyten, fordhan the thaet nyten naefdh
nane sawle, ne naefre ne ge-edcucadh, ne tha toweardan wita ne dhrowadh. Ac
we dhe sind to Godes anlicnysse gesceapene, and habbadh ['u]nateorigendlice
saule, we sceolon of deadhe ar['i]san, and agyldan Gode gescead ealra ura
gedhohta, and worda, and weorca. Ne sceole we fordhy sinderlice on anum
lime beon ymbsnidene, ac we sceolon dha fulan galnysse symle wanian, and
ure eagan fram yfelre gesihdhe awendan, and earan from yfelre heorcnunge;
urne m['u]dh fram leasum spraecum, handa fram m['a]ndaedum; ure fotwylmas
fram deadbaerum sidhfaete, ure heortan fram facne. Gif we swa fram leahtrum
ymbsnidene beodh, thonne bidh ['u]s geset n['i]we nama; swa swa se
w['i]tega Isa['i]as cwaedh, "God gec['i]gdh his dheowan odhrum naman." Eft
se ylca w['i]tega cwaedh, "Thu bist gec['i]ged niwum naman, thone dhe Godes
m['u]dh genemnode." Se n['i]wa nama is 'Cristianus,' thaet is, Cristen.
Ealle we sind of Criste cristene geh['a]tene, ac we sceolon dhone
arwurdhfullan naman mid aedhelum theawum geglengan, thaet we ne beon lease
cristene. Gif we dhas gastlican ymbsnidennysse on urum dheawum healdadh,
thonne sind we Abrahames cynnes, aefter sodhum geleafan; swa swa se theoda
lareow Paulus {98} cwaedh to geleaffullum, "Gif ge sind Cristes, thonne
sind ge Abrahames s['ae]d, and aefter behate yrfenuman." Petrus eac se
apostol tihte geleaffulle w['i]f to eadmodnysse and gemetfaestnysse, dhus
cwedhende, "Swa swa Sarra gehyrsumode Abrahame, and hine hlaford het,
dhaere dohtra ge sind, wel donde and na ondraedende aenige gedrefednysse."
Se eahtodha daeg, the thaet cild on ymbsniden waes, getacnode dha eahtodhan
ylde dhyssere worulde, on thaere we arisadh of deadhe ascyrede fram aelcere
brosnunge and gewemmednysse ures lichaman. Thaet staenene sex, the thaet
cild ymbsnadh, getacnode dhone st['a]n dhe se apostol cwaedh, "Se st['a]n
sodhlice waes Crist." He cwaedh waes for dhaere getacnunge, na for edwiste.
Thurh Cristes geleafan, and hiht, and sodhe lufe, beodh singallice estfulle
heortan mid daeghwonlicere ymbsnidenysse afeormode fram leahtrum, and dhurh
his gife onlihte.
We habbadh oft gehyred thaet men hatadh thysne daeg geares daeg, swylce
thes daeg fyrmest sy on geares ymbryne; ac we ne gemetadh nane geswutelunge
on cristenum bocum, hw['i] thes daeg to geares anginne geteald sy. Tha
ealdan Romani, on haedhenum dagum, ongunnon thaes geares ymbryne on dhysum
daege; and dha Ebreiscan leoda on lenctenlicere emnihte; dha Greciscan on
sumerlicum sunstede; and tha Egyptiscan dheoda ongunnon heora geares getel
on haerfeste. Nu ongindh ure ger['i]m, aefter Romaniscre gesetnysse, on
dhysum daege, for nanum godcundlicum gesceade, ac for dham ealdan gewunan.
Sume ure dhening-b['e]c onginnadh on Aduentum Domini; nis dheah thaer
fordhy dhaes geares ord, ne eac on dhisum daege nis mid n['a]num gesceade;
theah dhe ure ger['i]m-b['e]c on thissere st['o]we ge-edlaecon. Rihtlicost
bidh gedhuht thaet thaes geares anginn on dham daege sy gehaefd, the se
Aelmihtiga Scyppend sunnan, and m['o]nan, and steorran, and ealra tida
anginn gesette; thaet is on tham daege the thaet Ebreisce folc heora geares
getel onginnadh; swa swa se heretoga Moyses on dham aelicum bocum awr['a]t.
Witodlice God cwaedh to Moysen be dham mondhe, "Thes monadh is mondha
anginn, and he bidh fyrmest on geares {100} mondhum." Nu heold thaet
Ebreisce folc dhone forman geares daeg on lenctenlicere emnihte, fordhan
dhe on dham daege wurdon gearlice tida gesette.
Se eahteteodha daeg thaes mondhes the we h['a]tadh Martius, dhone ge hatadh
Hlyda, waes se forma daeg dhyssere worulde. On dham daege worhte God leoht,
and merigen, and aefen. Dha e['o]don thry dagas fordh buton t['i]da
gemetum; fordhan the tunglan naeron gesceapene, aer on tham feordhan daege.
On dham feordhan daege gesette se Aelmihtiga ealle tungla and gearlice
t['i]da, and h['e]t thaet h['i] w['ae]ron to t['a]cne dagum and gearum. Nu
ongynnadh tha Ebreiscan heora geares anginn on tham daege the ealle tida
gesette waeron, thaet is on dham feordhan daege woruldlicere gesceapenysse;
and se lareow Beda teldh mid micclum gesceade thaet se daeg is XII. K[=L],
dhone daeg we freolsiadh tham halgum were Benedick to wurdhmynte, for his
micclum gedhincdhum. Hwaet eac seo eordhe cydh mid hire cidhum, the dhonne
ge-edcuciadh, thaet se tima is thaet rihtlicoste geares anginn, dhe h['i]
on gesceapene waeron.
Nu w['i]gliadh stunte men menigfealde w['i]gelunga on dhisum daege, mid
micclum gedwylde, aefter haedhenum gewunan, ongean heora cristendom, swylce
h['i] magon heora l['i]f gelengan, oththe heora gesundfulnysse, mid tham
dhe h['i] gremiadh thone Aelmihtigan Scyppend. Sind eac manega mid swa
micclum gedwylde befangene, thaet h['i] cepadh be dham monan heora faer,
and heora daeda be dagum, and nelladh heora dhing wanian on monan-daeg, for
anginne dhaere wucan; ac se monan-daeg nis na fyrmest daga on thaere wucan,
ac is se odher. Se sunnan-daeg is fyrmest on gesceapenysse and on
endebyrdnysse, and on wurdhmynte. Secgadh eac sume gedwaesmenn thaet sum
orfcyn sy the man bletsigan ne sceole, and cwedhadh thaet h['i] thurh
bletsunge misfaradh, and dhurh wyrigunge gedheodh, and brucadh thonne Godes
gife him on teonan, buton bletsunge, mid deofles awyrigednysse. Aelc
bletsung is of Gode, and wyrigung of deofle. God gesceop ealle gesceafta,
and deofol nane {102} gesceafta scyppan ne maeg, ac he is yfel tihtend, and
leas wyrcend, synna ordfruma, and sawla bepaecend.
Tha gesceafta dhe sind thwyrlice gedhuhte, h['i] sind to wrace gesceapene
yfel-daedum. Oft halige men wunedon on westene betwux redhum wulfum and
leonum, betwux eallum deorcynne and wurmcynne, and him nan dhing derian ne
mihte; ac h['i] totaeron tha hyrnedan naeddran mid heora nacedum handum,
and tha micclan dracan eadhelice acwealdon, buton aelcere dare, thurh Godes
mihte.
Wa dham men the br['i]cdh Godes gesceafta, buton his bletsunge, mid
deofellicum w['i]glungum, thonne se dheoda lareow cwaedh, Paulus, "Swa
hwaet swa ge dodh on worde, odhdhe on weorce, dodh symle on Drihtnes naman,
thancigende tham Aelmihtigan Faeder thurh his Bearn." Nis thaes mannes
cristendom naht, the mid deoflicum w['i]glungum his l['i]f adrihdh; he is
geh['i]wod to cristenum men, and is earm haedhengylda; swa swa se ylca
apostol be swylcum cwaedh, "Ic wene thaet ic swunce on ydel, dhadha ic eow
to Gode gebigde: nu ge cepadh dagas and mondhas mid ydelum w['i]glungum."
Is hwaedhere aefter gecynde on gesceapennysse aelc lichamlice gesceaft dhe
eordhe acendh fulre and maegenfaestre on fullum monan thonne on gewanedum.
Swa eac treowa, gif h['i] beodh on fullum monan geheawene, h['i] beodh
heardran and langf['ae]rran to getimbrunge, and swidhost, gif h['i] beodh
unsaepige geworhte. Nis dhis nan w['i]glung, ac is gecyndelic dhincg thurh
gesceapenysse. Hwaet eac seo s['ae] wunderlice gethwaerlaecdh thaes monan
ymbrene; symle h['i] beodh geferan on waestme and on wanunge. And swa swa
se mona daeghwonlice feower pricon lator arist, swa eac seo s['ae] symle
feower pricum lator fleowdh.
Uton besettan urne hiht and ure gesaeldha on thaes Aelmihtigan Scyppendes
foresceawunge, sedhe ealle gesceafta on dhrim dhingum gesette, thaet is on
gemete, and on getele, and on hefe. Sy him wuldor and lof ['a] on ecnysse.
Amen.