Bible verses about "molestation" | Mace

¹ Be ye therefore imitators of God, as his dear children; live together in love, ² for Christ loved us, and for us gave himself an offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God. ³ But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry, ⁴ nor buffoonry, which they call pleasantry, but is indecent: be you rather exercised in social virtue. ⁵ for this you know, that no licentious or dissolute person, no lewd libertine, that is, an idolater, hath any part in the kingdom of Christ, and of God. ⁶ let no man mislead you by vain reasonings: for it is for these vices, that the wrath of God lights upon the incredulous. ⁷ don't you therefore be concern'd with them. ⁸ you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light: ⁹ for the natural effect of light, is universal benevolence, justice, and truth: ¹⁰ consider what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and be not accomplices in the fruitless practices of vice; on the contrary, condemn them. ¹² for it is a shame even to mention what they practise in secret. ¹³ but whatever is unjustifiable will be brought to light: and that will show them to be unjustifiable. ¹⁴ wherefore 'tis said, " awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." ¹⁵ See then that you behave circumspectly, and not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶ weighing the circumstances of the season, because the times are dangerous. ¹⁷ wherefore be not imprudent, but consider what is agreeable to the divine will. ¹⁸ do not drink to excess, for that tends to dissoluteness, but be regal'd with spiritual entertainments: ¹⁹ expressing yourselves in psalms, in hymns, and spiritual songs; and let your hearts beat the time, in concerts of praises to the Lord, ²⁰ and this the burthen of the song, "thanks be to God, even the father, for his son Jesus Christ our Lord." ²¹ Be mutually obsequious with christian respect. ²² let married women be submissive to their husbands, out of regard to the Lord. ²³ for the husband presides over his wife, as Christ presides over the church: and he it is that preserves the whole body. ²⁴ as the church then is subordinate to Christ, so let women be to their husbands upon all occasions. ²⁵ You husband, love your spouse, even as Christ loved the church, and laid down his life for her: ²⁶ to sanctify and purify her by the ablution of his word, ²⁷ that he himself might make her appear illustrious to his own eye, a church without spot, or any thing like a defect; so as to be holy and irreprehensible. ²⁸ in like manner ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: "he that loves his wife, loveth himself." ²⁹ no man was ever yet averse to his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as the Lord doth the church: ³⁰ of which we are the several parts constituting his body. ³¹ the scripture says, "for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and they two shall be as one." ³² these words contain a very mystical sense, I mean in reference to Christ and the church. ³³ wherefore let every one of you without exception, love his wife even as himself; and let the wife respect her husband.

¹ Children, obey your christian parents: for this is the law. ² the first commandment with a promise annexed, is, "honour thy father and mother, ³ that it may be well with thee, and thou mayst be long-lived on the earth." ⁴ and you fathers don't exasperate your children: but instruct them in the discipline and institution of the Lord. ⁵ Servants, be obedient to your legal masters, with awful reverence and sincerity of heart, as unto Christ: ⁶ not doing your work meerly out of regard to their presence or their pleasure, but as the servants of Christ, in hearty obedience to the will of God: ⁷ serve them with affection, as if it was to the Lord, ⁸ and not to men: considering that whatever good any man doth, he shall be rewarded for it by the Lord, whether he be a slave or free. ⁹ and you masters have a just regard to them, by softning your authority: knowing that both their and your master is in heaven, where there is no respect of persons with him. ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, place your strength in the transcendent power of the Lord. ¹¹ put on the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² for our conflict is not barely with men, but with principalities, with potentates, with the princes of darkness, with wicked aereal spirits. ¹³ wherefore invest yourselves with the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to withstand in the difficult day, and having overcome all to maintain your ground. ¹⁴ stand firm, the belt of truth round your waist, let justice invest you like mail: ¹⁵ wing your feet with the gospel of peace: ¹⁶ cover all with the shield of faith, to repel all the fiery darts of the adversary: ¹⁷ let salvation be your helmet, and the divine doctrine your spiritual sword. ¹⁸ Pour out your souls unto God upon all occasions, watching in prayer with all perseverance and supplication for all christians: ¹⁹ in particular for me, that I may have leave to speak without any restraint, and make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an embassador, tho' in chains: that I may duely represent it to the full. ²¹ As to the state of my affairs, and health, Tychicus our dear brother, and faithful minister in the Lord, will very particularly acquaint you with them. ²² I have sent him to you on purpose to acquaint you with our concerns, and to comfort your hearts. ²³ may our brethren have peace, social affection, and faith from God the father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ grace be with all those that have love uncorrupted for our Lord Jesus Christ. amen.

¹³ "meat is design'd for the belly, and the belly for meat:" true, yet God has design'd both for destruction. now the body is not design'd for licentiousness, but for the glory of the Lord; since the Lord died for the glorification of the body:

⁹ Know you not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? be not deceived: neither the licentious, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor the brutal,

⁵ Mortify therefore your sensual appetites, fornication, impurity, irregular passions, wicked desires, and that licentiousness practised by idolaters.

²⁶ for if we wilfully apostatize, after having received the knowledge of the truth, it is as a sin for which there is no sacrifice appointed.

² it were better for him that a milstone were hang'd about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should occasion any innocent person to relapse.

¹⁶ I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions.

¹⁹ now the effects of vicious passions are manifestly these, fornication, uncleanness, ²⁰ brutality, idolatry, poisoning, enmities, quarrels, emulations, animosities, strife, seditions, factions, envyings, ²¹ drunkenness, revellings, and such like, concerning which I forewarn you now, as heretofore I have done, that they who practise such vices, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

⁴² but if any one shall cause the meanest of those, who believe in me, to transgress, it had been better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

⁶ But whoever shall occasion such an humble believer to fall off from the faith, it were better for him that a mill-stone were hang'd about his neck, and that he were plung'd to the bottom of the sea.