--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is preferable to have a virgin mind…" description: "\"“It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. Each is good if each be possible; if it be not possible, let me be chaste, not to man but t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/st-ambrose-66059_chastity_it-is-preferable-to-have-a-virgin-mind-t_2325923.jpg" --- # It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body… ![“It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. Each is good if each be possible; if it be not possible, let me be chaste, not to man but to God.” quote by St. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/st-ambrose-66059_chastity_it-is-preferable-to-have-a-virgin-mind-t_2325923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/st-ambrose-66059_chastity_it-is-preferable-to-have-a-virgin-mind-t_2325923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/st-ambrose-66059_chastity_it-is-preferable-to-have-a-virgin-mind-t_2325923.jpg) > ““It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. Each is good if each be possible; if it be not possible, let me be chaste, not to man but to God.”” St. Ambrose ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A pure mind is more valuable than a pure body; if purity isn’t possible, remain chaste toward God. **In simple terms:** Mind purity > body purity; stay spiritually chaste. Key Takeaway Prioritize mental purity and devotion. Themes spirituality morality purity Mood contemplative inspirational Type theological ethical When to use this quote - religious life - ethical decision making - personal vows Key Concepts virginity chastity devotion Questions to Reflect On - Can you maintain mental purity in daily life? - How does spiritual chastity guide actions? A Different Perspective Physical purity may be unattainable; focus on inner devotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chastity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chastity/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Virgin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virgin/) [Virginity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virginity/) ## Related quotes > [Mary properly bore the name of Virgin, and possessed to the full all the attributes of purity. She was a virgin in both body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/mary-properly-bore-the-name-of-virgin-and-possessed-to-the-full-all/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [“I knew you were looking down my shirt,” she said, her voice sounding all prim and scandalized. God, it turned him on. Because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-raye-harris/i-knew-you-were-looking-down-my-shirt-she-said-her-voice-sounding-all/) [Lynn Raye Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-raye-harris/) > [“You may be a virgin in body, but not in mind. I feel the heat and passion in you; there's a fury of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/you-may-be-a-virgin-in-body-but-not-in-mind-i-feel-the-heat-and/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [There is no true Latter-day Saint who would not rather bury a son or a daughter than to have him or her lose his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/there-is-no-true-latter-day-saint-who-would-not-rather-bury-a-son-or/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague...Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/let-us-avoid-debt-as-we-would-avoid-a-plague-let-every-head-of-every/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [I get a little angry about this highhanded scrapping of the look of things. What else have we to go by? How else can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-culkin-banning/i-get-a-little-angry-about-this-highhanded-scrapping-of-the-look-of/) [Margaret Culkin Banning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-culkin-banning/) > [Reason and justice tell me there's more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/reason-and-justice-tell-me-there-s-more-love-for-humanity-in/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Love clamors far more incessantly and passionately at a closed gate than an open one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/love-clamors-far-more-incessantly-and-passionately-at-a-closed-gate/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [It is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-not-always-from-valor-or-from-chastity-that-men-are-brave-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/give-me-chastity-and-continence-but-not-yet/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Chastity is oftener owing to diffidence and shame, than to fortitude of reason or virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/chastity-is-oftener-owing-to-diffidence-and-shame-than-to-fortitude/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [The soul whose bosom lust did never touch Is God's fair bride; and maiden's souls are such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-soul-whose-bosom-lust-did-never-touch-is-god-s-fair-bride-and/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [But there is a beauty every girl has—a gift from God, as pure as the sunlight, and as sacred as life. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/but-there-is-a-beauty-every-girl-has-a-gift-from-god-as-pure-as-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by St. Ambrose > [“Woman, the child of so many tears shall never perish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-ambrose/woman-the-child-of-so-many-tears-shall-never-perish/) St. Ambrose > [“ Non in dialecticâ complacuit Deo salvum facere populum suum”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-ambrose/non-in-dialectic-complacuit-deo-salvum-facere-populum-suum/) St. Ambrose > [“The practice of perfect virtue does not require teaching, but instructs others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-ambrose/the-practice-of-perfect-virtue-does-not-require-teaching-but/) St. Ambrose Explore all 4 St. Ambrose quotes ## More Chastity quotes > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [But there is a beauty every girl has—a gift from God, as pure as the sunlight, and as sacred as life. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/but-there-is-a-beauty-every-girl-has-a-gift-from-god-as-pure-as-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The soul whose bosom lust did never touch Is God's fair bride; and maiden's souls are such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-soul-whose-bosom-lust-did-never-touch-is-god-s-fair-bride-and/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Chastity is oftener owing to diffidence and shame, than to fortitude of reason or virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/chastity-is-oftener-owing-to-diffidence-and-shame-than-to-fortitude/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/give-me-chastity-and-continence-but-not-yet/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [It is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-not-always-from-valor-or-from-chastity-that-men-are-brave-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Love clamors far more incessantly and passionately at a closed gate than an open one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/love-clamors-far-more-incessantly-and-passionately-at-a-closed-gate/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [Reason and justice tell me there's more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/reason-and-justice-tell-me-there-s-more-love-for-humanity-in/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [I get a little angry about this highhanded scrapping of the look of things. What else have we to go by? How else can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-culkin-banning/i-get-a-little-angry-about-this-highhanded-scrapping-of-the-look-of/) [Margaret Culkin Banning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-culkin-banning/) > [Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague...Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/let-us-avoid-debt-as-we-would-avoid-a-plague-let-every-head-of-every/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [There is no true Latter-day Saint who would not rather bury a son or a daughter than to have him or her lose his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/there-is-no-true-latter-day-saint-who-would-not-rather-bury-a-son-or/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [The Church has no double standard of morality. The moral code of heaven for both men and women is complete chastity before marriage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-church-has-no-double-standard-of-morality-the-moral-code-of/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Extremes, though contrary, have the like effects. Extreme heat kills, and so extreme cold: extreme love breeds satiety, and so extreme hatred; and too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-chapman/extremes-though-contrary-have-the-like-effects-extreme-heat-kills-and/) [George Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-chapman/) > [There is but one love of Jesus, as there is but one person in the poor - Jesus. We take vows of chastity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/there-is-but-one-love-of-jesus-as-there-is-but-one-person-in-the-poor/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) [Browse all 295 Chastity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chastity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. 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