Eating blood and things strangled

Even though Jesus said that “whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated” (Mark 7:18-19 - NKJV), and in saying this, he declared all foods ‘clean’, there are certain things that we who have believed in the Lord must not eat.

According to the decrees which were determined by the apostles and the elders, who gathered together at Jerusalem in order to discuss whether it was lawful to circumcise the Gentiles and to command them to keep the law or not, the things from which we must abstain are the following ones: things polluted by idols (of which I have already spoken), blood (therefore we must not eat blood sausage nor blood pudding) and things strangled (the meat of animals choked or strangled to death). For we read in the book of the Acts of the apostles: “Wherefore my sentence [it is James who is speaking] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well” (Acts 15:19-29).

Therefore, brethren, any teaching that somehow nullifies the decrees determined by the apostles and the elders under the guide of the Holy Spirit is to be rejected vigorously. Let no one deceive you, beloved.

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