Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales shall be detestable to you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you.
- KJV Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
- NKJV Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.
- NASB Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.
- NLT Any marine animal that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Any water creature without fins and scales is an abomination. The rule is restated for clarity and emphasis.
Overview
This summary verse seals the section on water creatures, leaving no ambiguity about the standard. Such repetition aided teaching and memory for a people learning holiness through daily practice. The clear boundaries marked Israel off from the nations, a distinction graciously opened up in Christ to include people from every nation.
Cross-references & the web
No cross-references recorded for this verse.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 11:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.