'I rejoice, Lord,' said I, 'to hear this explanation.' 'Listen now,' said he. 'Keep this your flesh pure and undefiled, so that the Spirit who dwells in it may bear witness to it, and your flesh may be justified.'
2'See that it does not enter your heart that this your flesh is corruptible, and that you abuse it in any stain. For if you stain your flesh, you will stain also the Holy Spirit; and if you stain the flesh, you will not live.'
3'But if,' said I, 'Lord, there was any previous ignorance, before these words were heard, how can a man who stained his flesh be saved?'
4'The previous transgressions of ignorance,' said he, 'God alone has power to heal; for all power is His.'
5'But now keep yourself, and the Lord, who is abundant in mercy, will have compassion on you in your previous transgressions of ignorance, if from now on you no longer stain your flesh nor the Spirit.'
6'For both are common, and one cannot be stained without the other. Keep, therefore, both pure, and you will live for God.'