^11 (A)Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

¹⁸ So He said to them, ^(A)“Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, ^[a]thus purifying all foods?”

^17 (A)for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and ^(B)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

⁸ But ^(A)food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

¹⁶ So let no one ^(A)judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a ^[a]festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

^20 [a]Therefore, if you ^(A)died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, ^(B)why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— ^21 (C)“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” ²² which all concern things which perish with the using—^(D)according to the commandments and doctrines of men? ^23 (E)These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and ^[b]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

¹⁰ Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and ^(A)saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ¹³ And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! ^(B)For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

¹⁵ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ^(C)“What God has ^[a]cleansed you must not call common.” ¹⁶ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

The Great Apostasy

4 Now the Spirit ^[a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed ^(A)to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ^2 (B)speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience ^(C)seared with a hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.