Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern English - Question #2

Q. 2. What rule has God given to direct us how to glorify and enjoy him?

 

A. The Word of God, which consists of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,^[a] is the only rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy him.^[b]

 

Matthew 19:4-5

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

⁴ Which answered, and said to them, Have ye not read, for he that made men at the beginning, made them male and female?

⁵ And he said, For this thing a man shall leave father and mother, and he shall draw to his wife [and he shall cleave, or draw, to his wife]; and they shall be twain in one flesh.

 

Genesis 2:24

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

²⁴ Wherefore a man shall forsake [his] father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be twain in one flesh [and two shall be in one flesh].

 

Luke 24:27

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

²⁷ And he began at Moses and at all the prophets, and declared to them in all scriptures, that were of him. [And he beginning at Moses and all the prophets, expounded to them in all scriptures, which were of him.]

 

Luke 24:44

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

⁴⁴ and [he] said to them, These be the words that I spake to you [and he said to them, These be the words which I spake to you], when I was yet with you; for it is need that all things be fulfilled, that be written in the law of Moses [which be written in the law of Moses], and in prophets, and in psalms, of me.

 

1 Corinthians 2:13

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

¹³ Which things we speak also, not in wise words of man's wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, and make a likeness of spiritual things to ghostly men. [The which things we speak, not in taught words of man's wisdom, but in doctrine of the Spirit, comparisoning spiritual things to ghostly men.]

 

1 Corinthians 14:37

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

³⁷ If any man is seen to be a prophet, or spiritual, know he those things that I write to you, for those be the commandments of the Lord [know he the things that I write to you, for they be the commandments of the Lord].

 

2 Peter 1:20-21

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

²⁰ And first understand ye this thing, that each prophecy of scripture is not made by proper interpretation; [First understanding this thing, that each prophecy of scripture is not made by proper, or own, interpretation;]

²¹ for prophecy was not brought any time by man's will, but the holy men of God inspired with the Holy Ghost spake.

 

2 Peter 3:2

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

² that ye be mindful of those words [that ye be mindful of the words], that I before-said of the holy prophets, and of the commandments of the holy apostles of the Lord and Saviour.

 

2 Peter 3:15-16

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

¹⁵ And deem ye long abiding of our Lord Jesus Christ your health, as also our most dear brother Paul wrote to you, by wisdom given to him. [And deem ye the long abiding of our Lord your health, as and our most dear brother Paul wrote to you, after wisdom given to him.]

¹⁶ As and in all his epistles he speaketh in them of these things; in which be some hard things to understand, which unwise and unstable men deprave [As and in all epistles he speaking in them of these things; in which be some hard things in understanding, the which unwise, or untaught, and unstable men deprave], as also they do other scriptures, to their own perdition.

 

Deuteronomy 4:2

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

² Ye shall not add to the word which I speak to you, neither ye shall take away from it; keep ye the commandments of your Lord God (obey the commandments of the Lord your God), which I command to you.

 

Psalm 19:7-11

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

⁷ The law of the Lord is without wem, and converteth souls; the witnessing of the Lord is faithful, and giveth wisdom to little, either meek, children. (The Law of the Lord is without blemish, or without fault, and converteth souls; the teaching of the Lord is faithful, and giveth wisdom to the simple.)

⁸ The rightfulnesses of the Lord be rightful, gladdening hearts (The precepts of the Lord be right, gladdening hearts); the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening eyes.

⁹ The holy dread of the Lord dwelleth into the world of world; the dooms of the Lord be true, justified into themselves. (The fear of the Lord is holy, or pure/Reverence for the Lord is holy, or pure, and it remaineth forever and ever; the judgements of the Lord be true, and justified unto themselves.)

¹⁰ Desirable more than gold, and a stone much precious; and sweeter than honey and honeycomb. (They be more desirable than gold, or very precious stones; and sweeter than honey from a honeycomb.)

¹¹ For why thy servant keepeth those; much yielding is in those to be kept./Forsooth thy servant keepeth those; much yielding, or reward, is in those dooms to be kept. (For they instruct thy servant; and in obeying those judgements, there is much reward.)

 

Isaiah 8:20

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

²⁰ It is to go to the law more rather, and to the witnessing, that if they say not after this word, morrowtide light shall not be to them. (Say thou, It is better to go to the Law, and to the testimony, and if they say not after this word, then the light is not in them.)

 

John 15:11

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

¹¹ These things I spake to you, that my joy be in you, and your joy be full-filled [and your joy be filled].

 

John 20:30-31

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

³⁰ And Jesus did many other signs in the sight of his disciples, which be not written in this book. [Forsooth and many other signs Jesus did in the sight of his disciples, the which be not written in this book.]

³¹ But these be written, that ye believe, that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and that ye believing have life in his name.

 

Acts 17:11

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

¹¹ But these were the worthier of them [Soothly these were the nobler of them] that be at Thessalonica, which received the word with all desire, each day seeking [the] scriptures, if these things had them so.

 

2 Timothy 3:15-17

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

¹⁵ for thou hast known holy letters from thy youth, which be able to learn thee to health [and for thou hast known holy letters from thy youth, or childhood, the which may inform thee to health], by faith that is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ For all scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach, to reprove, to chastise, [for] to learn in rightwiseness,

¹⁷ that the man of God be perfect, learned to all good work [learned to all good works].

 

1 John 1:4

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

⁴ And we write this thing to you [And this thing we write to you], that ye have joy, and that your joy be full.

 

 

 

Comment on Q. 2.

God has given us definite instructions in writing. As God's book, the Bible is the best book, and we should study it more often than any other. God promises his Holy Spirit to help us understand it. We must never presume to add to it. The original languages of the Bible are Hebrew (in the Old Testament) and Greek, but common English translations give us the meaning in a form that we can understand.