¹⁵ there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”^[a]

⁴² Whatever moves on its belly and whatever moves on all fours or whatever has many feet, all the creatures that swarm upon the earth you shall not eat, for they are detestable. ⁴³ You shall not make yourselves detestable with any creature that swarms; you shall not defile yourselves with them and so become unclean.^{(A) 44} For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming creature that moves on the earth.^{(B) 45} For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy.^(C)

⁴⁶ “This is the law pertaining to land animal and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms upon the earth, ⁴⁷ to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.”^(D)

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food,^[a] which have not benefited those who observe them.^(A)

¹⁰ but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right.^(A)

¹⁵ To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.^(A)

³ They forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.^{(A) 4} For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving,^{(B) 5} for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.

²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience,

¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.^(A)

²⁰ but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from sexual immorality and from whatever has been strangled^[a] and from blood.^{(A) 21} For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every Sabbath in the synagogues.”^(B)