Bible verses about "courtship" | Wycliffe

¹ Forsothe Abraham was eld, and of many daies, and the Lord hadde blessid hym in alle thingis. ² And he seide to the eldere seruaunt of his hows, that was souereyn on alle thingis that he hadde, Put thou thin hond vndur myn hipe, ³ that Y coniure thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douytris of Chanaan, among whiche Y dwelle; ⁴ but that thou go to my lond and kynrede, and therof take a wijf to my sone Ysaac. ⁵ The seruaunt aunswerde, If the womman nyle come with me in to this lond, whether Y owe lede ayen thi sone to the place, fro which thou yedist out? ⁶ Abraham seide, Be war, lest ony tyme thou lede ayen thidur my sone; ⁷ the Lord of heuene that took me fro the hows of my fadir, and fro the lond of my birthe, which spak to me, and swoor, and seide, Y schal yyue this lond to thi seed, he schal sende his aungel bifore thee, and thou schalt take fro thennus a wijf to my sone; forsothe if the womman nyle sue thee, ⁸ thou schalt not be holdun bi the ooth; netheles lede not ayen my sone thidur. ⁹ Therfore the seruaunt puttide his hond vndur the hipe of Abraham, his lord, and swoor to him on this word. ¹⁰ And he took ten camels of the floc of his lord, and yede forth, and bar with him of alle the goodis of his lord; and he yede forth, and cam to Mesopotanye, to the citee of Nachor. ¹¹ And whanne he hadde maad the camels to reste with out the citee, bisidis the pit of watir, in the euentid, in that tyme in which wymmen ben wont to go out to drawe watir, ¹² he seide, Lord God of my lord Abraham, Y biseche, meete with me to dai, and do mersi with my lord Abraham. ¹³ Lo! Y stonde nyy the welle of watir, and the douytris of enhabiters of this citee schulen go out to drawe watir; ¹⁴ therfor the damysel to which Y schal seie, Bowe doun thi watir pot that Y drynke, and schal answere, Drynke thou, but also Y schal yyue drynke to thi camels, thilke it is which thou hast maad redi to thi seruaunt Ysaac; and bi this Y schal vndirstonde that thou hast do mersi with my lord Abraham. ¹⁵ And he hadde not yit fillid the wordis with ynne hym silf, and lo! Rebecca, the douytir of Batuel, sone of Melcha, wijf of Nachor, brothir of Abraham, yede out, hauynge a watir pot in hir schuldre; ¹⁶ a damysel ful comeli, and faireste virgyn, and vnknowun of man. Sotheli sche cam doun to the welle, and fillide the watir pot, and turnide ayen. ¹⁷ And the seruaunt mette hir, and seide, Yyue thou to me a litil of the watir of thi pot to drynke. ¹⁸ Which answerde, Drynke thou, my lord. And anoon sche dide doun the watir pot on hir schuldre, and yaf drynk to hym. ¹⁹ And whanne he hadde drunke, sche addide, But also Y schal drawe watir to thi camelis, til alle drynken. ²⁰ And sche helde out the watir pot in trouyis, and ran ayen to the pit, to drawe watir, and sche yaf watir drawun to alle the camels. ²¹ Sotheli he bihelde hir priueli, and wolde wite whether the Lord hadde sped his wei, ethir nay. ²² Therfor after that the camels drunken, the man brouyte forth goldun eere ryngis, weiynge twei siclis, and as many bies of the arm, in the weiyte of ten siclis. ²³ And he seide to hir, Whos douyter art thou? schewe thou to me, is ony place in the hows of thi fadir to dwelle? ²⁴ Which answerde, Y am the douyter of Batuel, sone of Nachor, whom Melcha childide to him. ²⁵ And sche addide, seiynge, Also ful myche of prouendre and of hey is at vs, and a large place to dwelle. ²⁶ The man bowide hym silf, ²⁷ and worschipide the Lord, and seide, Blessid be the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God took not aweie his mersy and treuthe fro my lord, and ledde me bi riyt weie in to the hous of the brother of my lord. ²⁸ And so the damesel ran, and telde in the hous of hir modir alle thingis whiche sche hadde herd. ²⁹ Sotheli Rebecca hadde a brothir, Laban bi name, whiche yede out hastili to the man, where he was with out forth. ³⁰ And whanne he hadde seyn the eere ryngis and byes of the arm in the hondis of his sister, and hadde herd alle the wordis of hir tellynge, the man spak to me these thingis, he cam to the man that stood bisidis the camels, and nyy the welle of watir, ³¹ and seide to him, Entre thou, the blessid of the Lord; whi stondist thou with outforth? I haue maad redi the hows, and a place to thi camels. ³² And he brouyte hym in to the ynne, and unsadlide the camels, and yaf prouendre, and hey, and watir to waische the feet of camels, and of men that camen with hym. ³³ And breed was set forth in his siyt, which seide, Y schal not ete til Y speke my wordis. He answerde to the man, Speke thou. ³⁴ And the man seide, Y am the seruaunt of Abraham, ³⁵ and the Lord hath blessid my lord greetli, and he is maad greet; and God yaf to hym scheep, and oxun, siluer, and gold, seruauntis, and handmaides, camels, and assis. ³⁶ And Sare, `the wijf of my lord, childide a sone to my lord in his eelde, and he yaf alle thingis that he hadde to that sone. <sup>37</sup> And my lord chargide me greetli, and seide, Thou schalt not take to my sone a wijf of the douytris of Canaan, in whos lond Y dwelle, <sup>38</sup> but thou schalt go to the hous of my fadir, and of myn kynrede thou schalt take a wijf to my sone. <sup>39</sup> Forsothe Y answerde to my lord, What if the womman nyle come with me? <sup>40</sup> He seide, The Lord in whose siyt Y go, schal sende his aungel with thee, and he schal dresse thi weie; and thou schalt take a wijf to my sone of my kynrede, and of my fadris hows. <sup>41</sup> Thou schalt be innocent fro my curs, whanne thou comest to my kynesmen, and thei yyuen not `the womman to thee. ⁴² Therfor Y cam to day to the welle of watir, and Y seide, Lord God of my lord Abraham, if thou hast dressid my weie in which Y go now, lo! ⁴³ Y stonde bisidis the welle of watir, and the maide that schal go out to drawe watir herith me, yyue thou to me a litil of water to drynke of thi pot, ⁴⁴ and seith to me, And thou drynke, and Y schal drawe watir to thi camels, thilke is the womman which the Lord hath maad redi to the sone of my lord. ⁴⁵ While Y turnede in thouyte these thingis with me, Rebecca apperide, comynge with a pot which sche bare in the schuldre; and sche yede doun to the welle, and drowe watir. And Y seide to hir, Yyue thou a litil to me to drynke; and sche hastide, ⁴⁶ and dide doun the pot of the schuldre, and seide to me, And thou drynke, and Y schal yyue drynke to thi camels; Y drank, and watride the camels. ⁴⁷ And Y axide hir, and seide, Whos douytir art thou? Which answerde, Y am the douytir of Batuel, sone of Nachor, whom Melcha childide to him. And so Y hangide eere ryngis to ourne hir face, and Y puttide bies of the arm in hir hondis, ⁴⁸ and lowliche Y worschipide the Lord, and Y blessid the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God ledde me bi riyt weie, that Y schulde take the douytir of the brothir of my lord to his sone. ⁴⁹ Wherfor if ye don mercy and treuthe with `my lord, schewe ye to me; ellis if othir thing plesith, also seie ye this, that Y go to the riyt side ethir to the left side. <sup>50</sup> Laban and Batuel answeriden, The word is gon out of the Lord; we moun not speke ony other thing with thee without his plesaunce. <sup>51</sup> Lo! Rebecca is bifore thee; take thou hir, and go forth, and be sche wijf of the sone of thi lord, as the Lord spak. <sup>52</sup> And whanne the child of Abraham hadde herd this, he felde doun, and worschipide the Lord in erthe. <sup>53</sup> And whanne vessels of siluer, and of gold, and clothis weren brouyt forth, he yaf tho to Rebecca for yifte, and he yaf yiftis to hir britheren, and modir. <sup>54</sup> And whanne a feeste was maad, thei eeten and drunken to gider, and dwelliden there. Forsothe the child roos eerli, and spak, Delyuere ye me, that Y go to my lord. <sup>55</sup> Hir britheren and modir answerden, The damesele dwelle nameli ten daies at vs, and aftirward sche schal go forth. <sup>56</sup> The child seide, Nyle ye holde me, for the Lord hath dressid my weie; delyuere ye me, that I go to my lord. <sup>57</sup> And thei seiden, Clepe we the damysele, and axe we hir wille. <sup>58</sup> And whanne sche was clepid, and cam, thei axiden, Wolt thou go with this man? <sup>59</sup> And sche seide, Y schal go. Therfor they delyueriden hir, and hir nurse, and the seruaunt of Abraham, and hise felowis, and wischiden prosperitees to her sister, <sup>60</sup> and seiden, Thou art oure sister, encreesse thou in to a thousand thousandis, and thi seed gete the yatis of hise enemyes. <sup>61</sup> Therfor Rebecca and hir damesels stieden on the camels, and sueden the man, which turnede ayen hasteli to his lord. <sup>62</sup> In that tyme Ysaac walkide bi the weie that ledith to the pit, whos name is of hym that lyueth and seeth; for he dwellide in the south lond. <sup>63</sup> And he yede out to thenke in the feeld, for the dai was `bowid thanne; and whanne he hadde reisid the iyen, he seiy camels comynge afer. ⁶⁴ And whanne Ysaac was seyn, Rebecca liyte doun of the camel, ⁶⁵ and seide to the child, Who is that man that cometh bi the feeld in to the metyng of vs? And the child seide to hir, He is my lord. And sche took soone a mentil, and hilide hir. ⁶⁶ Forsothe the seruaunt tolde to his lord Ysaac alle thingis whiche he hadde do;

⁷ And he yede doun, and spak to the womman, that pleside hise iyen.

⁵ Haue thou trist in the Lord, of al thin herte; and triste thou not to thi prudence. ⁶ In alle thi weies thenke thou on hym, and he schal dresse thi goyngis. ⁷ Be thou not wijs anentis thi silf; drede thou God, and go awei fro yuel.

¹ Therfor, britheren, fro hennus forward we preien you, and bisechen in the Lord Jhesu, that as ye han resseyued of vs, hou it bihoueth you to go and to plese God, so walke ye, that ye abounde the more. ² For ye witen what comaundementis Y haue youun to you bi the Lord Jhesu. ³ For this is the wille of God, youre holynesse, that ye absteyne you fro fornycacioun. ⁴ That ech of you kunne welde his vessel in holynesse, and onour; ⁵ not in passioun of lust, as hethene men that knowen not God. ⁶ And that no man ouergo, nethir disseyue his brothir in chaffaring. For the Lord is venger of alle these thingis, as we biforseiden to you, and han witnessid. ⁷ For God clepide not vs in to vnclennesse, but in to holynesse. ⁸ Therfor he that dispisith these thingis, dispisith not man, but God, that also yaf his holi spirit in vs.

¹² Here is the pacience of seyntis, whiche kepen the maundementis of God, and the feith of Jhesu.

²⁴ Wherfor a man schal forsake fadir and modir, and schal cleue to his wijf, and thei schulen be tweyne in o fleisch.

¹ Be ye my foleweris, as Y am of Crist. ² And, britheren, Y preise you, that bi alle thingis ye ben myndeful of me; and as Y bitook to you my comaundementis, ye holden. ³ But Y wole that ye wite, that Crist is heed of ech man; but the heed of the womman is the man; and the heed of Crist is God. ⁴ Ech man preiynge, or profeciynge, whanne his heed is hilid, defoulith his heed. ⁵ But ech womman preiynge, or profeciynge, whanne hir heed is not hilid, defoulith hir heed; for it is oon, as if sche were pollid. ⁶ And if a womman be not keuered, be sche pollid; and if it is foul thing to a womman to be pollid, or to be maad ballid, hile sche hir heed. ⁷ But a man schal not hile his heed, for he is the ymage and the glorie of God; but a womman is the glorie of man. ⁸ For a man is not of the womman, but the womman of the man. ⁹ And the man is not maad for the womman, but the womman for the man. ¹⁰ Therfor the womman schal haue an hilyng on hir heed, also for aungelis. ¹¹ Netheles nether the man is with outen womman, nether the womman is with oute man, in the Lord. ¹² Forwhi as the womman is of man, so the man is bi the womman; but alle thingis ben of God. ¹³ Deme ye you silf; bisemeth it a womman not hilid on the heed to preye God? ¹⁴ Nether the kynde it silf techith vs, for if a man nursche longe heer, it is schenschipe to hym; ¹⁵ but if a womman nurische longe heer, it is glorie to hir, for heeris ben youun to hir for keueryng. ¹⁶ But if ony man is seyn to be ful of strijf, we han noon siche custom, nethir the chirche of God. ¹⁷ But this thing Y comaunde, not preisynge, that ye comen togidere not in to the betere, but in to the worse. ¹⁸ First for whanne ye comen togidere in to the chirche, Y here that discenciouns ben, and in parti Y bileue. ¹⁹ For it bihoueth eresies to be, that thei that ben prouyd, ben opynli knowun in you. ²⁰ Therfor whanne ye comen togidere in to oon, now it is not to ete the Lordis soper; ²¹ for whi ech man bifor takith his soper to ete, and oon is hungry, and another is drunkun. ²² Whether ye han not housis to ete and drynke, or ye dispisen the chirche of God, and confounden hem that han noon? What schal Y seie to you? Y preise you, but here yn Y preise you not. ²³ For Y haue takun of the Lord that thing, which Y haue bitakun to you. For the Lord Jhesu, in what niyt he was bitraied, ²⁴ took breed, and dide thankyngis, and brak, and seide, Take ye, and ete ye; this is my bodi, which schal be bitraied for you; do ye this thing in to my mynde. ²⁵ Also the cuppe, aftir that he hadde soupid, and seide, This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood; do ye this thing, as ofte as ye schulen drynke, in to my mynde. ²⁶ For as ofte as ye schulen ete this breed, and schulen drynke the cuppe, ye schulen telle the deth of the Lord, til that he come. ²⁷ Therfor who euere etith the breed, or drynkith the cuppe of the Lord vnworthili, he schal be gilti of the bodi and of the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But preue a man hym silf, and so ete he of `the ilke breed, and drynke of the cuppe. ²⁹ For he that etith and drinkith vnworthili, etith and drinkith doom to hym, not wiseli demyng the bodi of the Lord. ³⁰ Therfor among you many ben sijke and feble, and manye slepen. ³¹ And if we demyden wiseli vs silf, we schulden not be demyd; ³² but while we ben demyd of the Lord, we ben chastisid, that we be not dampnyd with this world. ³³ Therfor, my britheren, whanne ye comen togidere to ete, abide ye togidere. ³⁴ If ony man hungrith, ete he at home, that ye come not togidere in to doom. And Y schal dispose othere thingis, whanne Y come.

²² And fle thou desiris of yongthe, but sue thou riytwisnesse, feith, charite, pees, with hem that inwardli clepen the Lord of a clene herte.

²⁶ Forwhi now a sacrifice for synnes is not left to vs, that synnen wilfuli, aftir that we han take the knowyng of treuthe.

¹¹ For Y knowe the thouytis whiche Y thenke on you, seith the Lord, the thouytis of pees, and not of turment, that Y yyue to you an ende and pacience.

²⁷ Ye han herd that it was seid to elde men, Thou schalt `do no letcherie. ²⁸ But Y seie to you, that euery man that seeth a womman for to coueite hir, hath now do letcherie bi hir in his herte. ²⁹ That if thi riyt iye sclaundre thee, pulle hym out, and caste fro thee; for it spedith to thee, that oon of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go in to helle. ³⁰ And if thi riyt hond sclaundre thee, kitte hym aweye, and caste fro thee; for it spedith to thee that oon of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go in to helle.

¹ But of thilke thingis that ye han write to me, it is good to a man to touche not a womman.

⁹ and he seide to hir, Who art thou? Sche answeride, Y am Ruth, thin handmayde; stretche forth thi cloth on thi seruauntesse, for thou art nyy of kyn. ¹⁰ And he seide, Douytir, thou art blessid of the Lord, and thou hast ouercome the formere mercy with the lattere; for thou `suedist not yonge men, pore ethir riche. <sup>11</sup> Therfor `nyle thou drede, but what euer thing thou schalt seie to me, Y schal do to thee; for al the puple that dwellith with ynne the yatis of my cytee woot, that thou art a womman of vertu. ¹² And Y forsake not, that Y am of nyy kyn, but another man is neer than Y; ¹³ reste thou in this nyyt, and whanne the morewtid is maad, if he wole holde thee bi riyt of nyy kyn, the thing is wel doon; forsothe if he nyle, Y schal take thee with outen ony doute, the Lord lyueth, `that is, bi the Lord lyuynge; slepe thou til the morewtid.

⁵ And he seide, For this thing a man schal leeue fadir and modir, and he schal draw to his wijf; and thei schulen be tweyne in o fleisch.

² But for fornycacioun eche man haue his owne wijf, and ech womman haue hir owne hosebonde.

¹⁸ Fle ye fornycacioun; al synne what euere synne a man doith, is with out the bodi; but he that doith fornycacioun, synneth ayens his bodi.

²² He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs.

¹ But of thilke thingis that ye han write to me, it is good to a man to touche not a womman. ² But for fornycacioun eche man haue his owne wijf, and ech womman haue hir owne hosebonde. ³ The hosebonde yelde dette to the wijf, and also the wijf to the hosebonde. ⁴ The womman hath not power of hir bodi, but the hosebonde; and the hosebonde hath not power of his bodi, but the womman. ⁵ Nyle ye defraude eche to othere, but perauenture of consent to a tyme, that ye yyue tent to preier; and eft turne ye ayen to the same thing, lest Sathanas tempte you for youre vncontynence. ⁶ But Y seie this thing as yyuyng leeue, not bi comaundement. ⁷ For Y wole, that alle men be as my silf. But eche man hath his propre yifte of God; oon thus, and another thus. ⁸ But Y seie to hem, that ben not weddid, and to widewis, it is good to hem, if thei dwellen so as Y. ⁹ That if thei conteynen not hem silf, be thei weddid; for it is betere to be weddid, than to be brent. ¹⁰ But to hem that ben ioyned in matrymonye, Y comaunde, not Y, but the Lord, that the wijf departe not fro the hosebonde; ¹¹ and that if sche departith, that sche dwelle vnweddid, or be recounselid to hir hosebonde; and the hosebonde forsake not the wijf. ¹² But to othere Y seie, not the Lord. If ony brother hath an vnfeithful wijf, and sche consenteth to dwelle with hym, leeue he hir not. ¹³ And if ony womman hath an vnfeithful hosebonde, and this consentith to dwelle with hir, leeue sche not the hosebonde. ¹⁴ For the vnfeithful hosebonde is halewid bi the feithful womman, and the vnfeithful womman is halewid bi the feithful hosebonde. Ellis youre children weren vncleene, but now thei ben hooli. ¹⁵ That if the vnfeithful departith, departe he. For whi the brother or sistir is not suget to seruage in siche; for God hath clepid vs in pees. ¹⁶ And wherof wost thou, womman, if thou schalt make the man saaf; or wherof wost thou, man, if thou schalt make the womman saaf? ¹⁷ But as the Lord hath departid to ech, and as God hath clepid ech man, so go he, as Y teche in alle chirchis. ¹⁸ A man circumcidid is clepid, brynge he not to the prepucie. A man is clepid in prepucie, be he not circumcidid. ¹⁹ Circumcisioun is nouyt, and prepucie is nouyt, but the kepyng of the maundementis of God. ²⁰ Ech man in what clepyng he is clepid, in that dwelle he. ²¹ Thou seruaunt art clepid, be it no charge to thee; but if thou maist be fre, `the rather vse thou. ²² He that is a seruaunt, and is clepid in the Lord, is a freman of the Lord. Also he that is a freman, and is clepid, is the seruaunt of Crist. ²³ With prijs ye ben bouyt; nyle ye be maad seruauntis of men. ²⁴ Therfor ech man in what thing he is clepid a brothir, dwelle he in this anentis God. ²⁵ But of virgyns Y haue no comaundement of God; but Y yyue counseil, as he that hath mercy of the Lord, that Y be trewe. ²⁶ Therfor Y gesse, that this thing is good for the present nede; for it is good to a man to be so. ²⁷ Thou art boundun to a wijf, nyle thou seke vnbyndyng; thou art vnboundun fro a wijf, nyle thou seke a wijf. ²⁸ But if thou hast takun a wijf, thou hast not synned; and if a maidun is weddid, sche synnede not; nethelesse siche schulen haue tribulacioun of fleisch. ²⁹ But Y spare you. Therfor, britheren, Y seie this thing, The tyme is schort. Another is this, that thei that han wyues, be as thouy thei hadden noon; ³⁰ and thei that wepen, as thei wepten not; and thei that ioien, as thei ioieden not; and thei that bien, as thei hadden not; ³¹ and thei that vsen this world, as thei that vsen not. For whi the figure of this world passith. ³² But Y wole, that ye be without bisynesse, for he that is without wijf, is bisi what thingis ben of the Lord, hou he schal plese God. ³³ But he that is with a wijf, is bysy what thingis ben of the world, hou he schal plese the wijf, and he is departid. ³⁴ And a womman vnweddid and maidun thenkith what thingis ben of the Lord, that sche be hooli in bodi and spirit. But sche that is weddid, thenkith what thingis ben of the world, hou sche schal plese the hosebonde. ³⁵ And Y seie these thingis to youre profit, not that Y caste to you a snare, but to that that is onest, and that yyueth esynesse, with outen lettyng to make preieris to the Lord. ³⁶ And if ony man gessith hym silf to be seyn foule on his virgyn, that sche is ful woxun, and so it bihoueth to be doon, do sche that that sche wole; sche synneth not, if sche be weddid. ³⁷ For he that ordeynede stabli in his herte, not hauynge nede, but hauynge power of his wille, and hath demed in his herte this thing, to kepe his virgyn, doith wel. ³⁸ Therfore he that ioyneth his virgyn in matrymonye, doith wel; and he that ioyneth not, doith betere. ³⁹ The womman is boundun to the lawe, as longe tyme as hir hosebonde lyueth; and if hir hosebonde is deed, sche is delyuered fro the lawe of the hosebonde, be sche weddid to whom sche wole, oneli in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But sche schal be more blessid, if sche dwellith thus, aftir my counsel; and Y wene, that Y haue the Spirit of God.

¹² No man dispise thi yongthe, but be thou ensaumple of feithful men in word, in lyuyng, in charite, in feith, in chastite.