²⁰ When the Lord your God enlarges your ·country [borders] as he has promised, and ·you want [^Lyour soul desires] some meat so you say, “I want some meat,” you may eat ·as much meat as you want [^Lwhat your soul desires; or when your soul desires]. ²¹ If the Lord your God chooses a place where he ·is to be worshiped [^Lputs his name] that is too far away from you, you may ·kill [slaughter] animals from your herds and flocks, which the Lord has given to you. I have commanded that you may do this. You may eat ·as much of them as you want [^Las much as your soul desires; or when your soul desires] in your own ·towns [^Lgates], ²² as you would eat gazelle or deer meat. Both clean and unclean people [^Cin a ritual sense] may eat this meat, ²³ but be sure you don’t eat the blood, because the life is in the blood [Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; Acts 15:20, 29]. Don’t eat the life with the meat. ²⁴ Don’t eat the blood, but pour it out on the ground like water. ²⁵ If you don’t eat it, things will go well for you and your children, because you will be doing what ·the Lord says is right [^Lis right/virtuous in the eyes of the Lord].

²⁶ Take your holy ·things [gifts; donations] and ·the things you have promised to give [^Lyour vows that you have lifted up], and go to the place the Lord will choose. ²⁷ Present your burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices should be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. ²⁸ Be careful to ·obey [^Llisten to] all the rules I am ·giving [commanding] you so that things will always go well for you and your children, and you will be doing what the Lord your God says is good and ·right [virtuous in his eyes].