You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’”
Parallel translations
- WEB to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’”
- KJV To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
- NKJV to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.’ ”
- NASB to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.
- NLT By these instructions you will know what is unclean and clean, and which animals may be eaten and which may not be eaten.”
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
The purpose is to distinguish unclean from clean and what may be eaten from what may not. These laws trained Israel to discern between holy and common.
Overview
The dietary code aims to teach Israel to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, the edible and the forbidden. This habit of discernment shaped a people attuned to God's holiness in every part of life. The distinctions were a tutor pointing to the greater realities of holiness and sin, ultimately resolved in Christ, who makes His people clean (Acts 10:15; Ephesians 5:26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Lev 10:10You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- Ezek 44:23They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
- Rom 14:13–23Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- Rom 14:2–3For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.
- Mal 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 11:47 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.