一、合法的起誓乃是宗教敬拜的一部分，在正當場合的時候，起誓者嚴肅地呼求上帝，為他所宣述、所承諾的作見證；並按照他所起誓的真偽來施行判斷。
A lawful oath is a part of religious worship (a), in which an appropriate occasion he person taking the oath solemnly calls upon God to witness what he asserts or promises and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he swears
二、人只當用上帝的名來起誓，並當存完全聖潔與敬畏的心來使用。 因此，人若用那榮耀可敬畏的名虛偽地或輕率地起誓，或用別的名起誓，都是有罪的、可憎惡的。 然而，在舊新約聖經中，有關重大事件的起誓是為上帝的話語所認可的；有關此類事件若有合法權威的命令，需要起誓，就當遵行。
The name of God is the only name by which men should swear (c), and they should do so with all holy fear and reverence. Therefore, to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and fearful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful and to be abhorred (d). Yet since, in matters of weight and great importance, an oath is warranted by the Word of God under the New Testament as well as under the old (e), therefore, a lawful oath ought to be taken when imposed in such matters by lawful authority (f).
三、凡起誓者要正當考慮此嚴肅行為的重大性，而且只當宣述內心所十分確信為真實的事。除了那善良而正當的事，而且自己相信為善良而正當的事，又能而且決心去行的事以外，人不當以起誓來約束自己 。然而關於善良而正當的事，若拒絕合法的權威所命令的起誓，乃是罪。
Whoever takes an oath ought to consider seriously the great importance of such a solemn act, and in doing so should affirm nothing but what he himself is fully convinced is the truth. A person may bind himself by oath only to what is good and just , what he believes to be such, and what he is able and resolved to perform.
四、起誓當用淺顯易懂的通常話語，不可用雙關語，心裡也不可有所保留（即心中另外保留某種意思與所言者相違）。不可用起誓使人犯罪，但在不使人犯罪的事上，一旦起誓，即使起誓者會因此受虧損，也必須履行；就是對異端者或不信者起了誓，也不可廢棄。
The oath is to be taken in the plain and usual sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation (k). It cannot oblige a person to sin, but when it is taken in matters which are not sinful, it obligates performance of the oath even though it may hurt (l). The oath is not to be violated even though it is made to heretics or unbelievers (m).
五、許願與帶應許的起誓性質相同，常用類似的宗教敬虔態度來許願，而且要以同樣的誠實來履行。
A vow is similar in nature to a promissory oath and ought to be made with the same religious care and be performed with the same faithfulness.
六、除了向上帝以外，人不可對任何受造之物許願。許願若要蒙悅納，就必須出於信心與義務的良心，為所蒙的憐憫感恩，或為已得著所求的感謝，藉此更嚴格約束自己，履行應盡的本分或其他的事，有必須以「恰到好處、毫不勉強」為條件與原則，不可逾越。
A vow is to be made only to God and not to any created being. In order for it to be acceptable, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith and conviction of duty, either from thankfulness for mercy or from the desire to obtain what we lack. By taking a vow we bind ourselves more strictly to necessary duties, or to other things to the extent that they contribute to the performance of these duties.
七、人不可起誓去行《聖經》所禁止的事、 妨礙《聖經》所吩咐的本分、 行超過自己能力的事，或行上帝未應許、 也未賜能力去行的事。從這幾點看來，羅馬天主教修道者許願終生獨身、自願貧困、服從，都與人的追求完全無關，而且背道而馳到一個地步，成為迷信與犯罪的陷阱，基督徒絕不可自陷其中。
No one may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God or anything which would hinder the performance of any duty it commands. No one may vow to do anything for which he has no ability and for which he has no promise of ability from God. With respect to these things, Roman Catholic monastic vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience far from being steps to higher perfection, are in fact superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.
