Leviticus 20:25 You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

Bible > Leviticus > Chapter 20 > Verse 25

◄ Leviticus 20:25 ►

New International Version
“’You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you.

New Living Translation
“You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you.

English Standard Version
You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the unclean bird from the clean. You shall not make yourselves detestable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground crawls, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.

Berean Standard Bible
You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

King James Bible
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

New King James Version
You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

New American Standard Bible
You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground, which I have distinguished for you as unclean.

NASB 1995
‘You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean.

NASB 1977
‘You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean.

Legacy Standard Bible
You are therefore to separate between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean.

Amplified Bible
You are therefore to make a distinction between the [ceremonially] clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that crawls on the ground, which I have set apart from you as unclean.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore you are to distinguish the clean animal from the unclean one, and the unclean bird from the clean one. Do not become contaminated by any land animal, bird, or whatever crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore you must distinguish the clean animal from the unclean one, and the unclean bird from the clean one. Do not become contaminated by any land animal, bird, or whatever crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

American Standard Version
Ye shall therefore make a distinction between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by bird, or by anything wherewith the ground teemeth, which I have separated from you as unclean.

Contemporary English Version
That's why you must make a difference between animals and birds that I have said are clean and unclean--this will keep you from becoming disgusting to me.

English Revised Version
Ye shall therefore separate between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any thing wherewith the ground teemeth, which I have separated from you as unclean.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Separate clean and unclean animals and birds. Never become disgusting by eating any animal or bird or anything that crawls on the ground. I have separated you from every unclean thing.

Good News Translation
So then, you must make a clear distinction between animals and birds that are ritually clean and those that are not. Do not eat unclean animals or birds. I have declared them unclean, and eating them would make you unclean.

International Standard Version
You are to differentiate between the clean animal and the unclean and between the unclean bird and the clean. You are not to make yourselves detestable on account of any animal, bird, or any creeping creature of the ground that I've separated for you as unclean.

Majority Standard Bible
You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

NET Bible
Therefore you must distinguish between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean, and you must not make yourselves detestable by means of an animal or bird or anything that creeps on the ground--creatures I have distinguished for you as unclean.

New Heart English Bible
"'You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall therefore distinguish between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl, or by any manner of living animal that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

World English Bible
“‘You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean. You shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And you have made separation between the pure beasts and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the pure, and you do not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by anything which creeps [on] the ground which I have separated to you for unclean.

Young's Literal Translation
And ye have made separation between the pure beasts and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the pure, and ye do not make yourselves abominable by beast or by fowl, or by anything which creepeth on the ground which I have separated to you for unclean;

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye separated between clean cattle to unclean, and between unclean birds and clean: and ye shall not make you souls abhorred by cattle or bird, and by any which shall creep upon the earth which I separated to you for unclean.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore do you also separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the clean fowl from the unclean: defile not your souls with beasts, or birds, or any things that move on the earth, and which I have shewn you to be unclean.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, you must also separate the clean animals from the unclean, and the clean birds from the unclean. Do not pollute your souls with cattle, or birds, or anything that moves upon the earth, and which I have shown you to be unclean.

New American Bible
You, too, must set apart, then, the clean animals from the unclean, and the clean birds from the unclean, so that you do not make yourselves detestable through any beast or bird or any creature which creeps on the ground that I have set apart for you as unclean.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; you shall not bring abomination on yourselves by animal or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
You shall therefore make a distinction between clean beasts and unclean, and between clean fowls and unclean; and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by fowl or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Separate between a clean beast and an unclean and between a clean bird and an unclean, and you shall not defile your souls with an animal or with a bird or with any creeping thing of the Earth, which I have separated for you to uncleanness.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Ye shall therefore separate between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean; and ye shall not make your souls detestable by beast, or by fowl, or by any thing wherewith the ground teemeth, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And ye shall make a distinction between the clean and the unclean cattle, and between clean and unclean birds; and ye shall not defile your souls with cattle, or with birds, or with any creeping things of the earth, which I have separated for you by reason of uncleanness.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Keep All My Decrees
…24But I have told you that you will inherit their land, since I will give it to you as an inheritance—a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the peoples. 25You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you. 26You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Acts 10:14-15
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

Genesis 7:2
You are to take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate; a pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate;

Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Isaiah 66:17
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

Leviticus 11:1-47
The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: / You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. ...

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

1 Corinthians 10:25-26
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, / for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

Acts 15:28-29
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: / You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, / for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Treasury of Scripture

You shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and you shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

put difference

Leviticus 11:1-47
And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, …

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing…

Acts 10:11-15,28
And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: …

abominable

Leviticus 11:43
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

creepeth.

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Abominable Animal Beast Beasts Bird Clean Creepeth Creeps Detestable Difference Distinction Fowl Fowls Ground Manner Separate Separated Souls Teemeth Teems Unclean Yourselves

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Abominable Animal Beast Beasts Bird Clean Creepeth Creeps Detestable Difference Distinction Fowl Fowls Ground Manner Separate Separated Souls Teemeth Teems Unclean Yourselves

Leviticus 20

1. Of him who gives his seed to Moloch
4. Of him who favors such an one
6. Of going to wizards
7. Of sanctification
9. Of him who curses his parents
11. Of incest
13. Of sodomy
15. Of bestiality
18. Of uncleanness
22. Obedience is required with holiness
27. Wizards must be put to death

Berean Study Bible

You are therefore to distinguish
The Hebrew root for "distinguish" is "בדל" (badal), which means to separate or divide. This command emphasizes the importance of discernment and the ability to differentiate between what is holy and what is profane. In a spiritual sense, it calls believers to live lives that are set apart, reflecting God's holiness in their daily choices and actions.

between the clean animal and the unclean
The distinction between clean and unclean animals is rooted in the Levitical laws, which were given to the Israelites to maintain ritual purity and to symbolize moral and spiritual separation from pagan practices. The clean animals were those that met specific criteria set by God, serving as a metaphor for purity and holiness in the lives of the Israelites.

and between the unclean bird and the clean
Birds, like animals, were categorized into clean and unclean. This distinction further underscores the comprehensive nature of God's laws, covering all aspects of life. Historically, these laws served to protect the Israelites from health risks and to keep them distinct from surrounding nations, reinforcing their identity as God's chosen people.

Do not become contaminated
The Hebrew word for "contaminated" is "טמא" (tame), which means to be defiled or unclean. This command is a call to holiness, urging the Israelites to avoid anything that would spiritually or physically defile them. It serves as a reminder of the need for purity in the presence of a holy God.

by any animal or bird or anything that crawls along the ground
This phrase encompasses all creatures, emphasizing the thoroughness of God's instructions. The inclusion of creatures that crawl along the ground highlights the pervasive nature of impurity and the vigilance required to maintain holiness. It reflects the comprehensive scope of God's concern for the purity of His people.

that I have set apart as unclean for you
The phrase "set apart" comes from the Hebrew "הבדל" (hivdal), which means to separate or sanctify. God, in His sovereignty, designated certain creatures as unclean to teach His people about the nature of holiness and the importance of obedience. This separation serves as a constant reminder of God's authority and the call to live according to His standards.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Ye shall therefore put difference.--Better, Ye shall therefore separate. It is the same word which is used at the end of the preceding verse, and which is rendered "separate" in the Authorised Version. It is important that the word should be translated by the same expression, since it not only shows the intimate connection between the two verses, but brings out more forcibly the reason for the exhortation in the verse before us. Because the Lord has separated or distinguished the Israelites from all nations, and is about to give them the promised land, therefore the Israelites are to separate or to distinguish between the clean and unclean animals, as ordained in Leviticus 11. By strictly following out the dietary laws, the Israelites will always be able to keep separate from all other nations (Daniel 1:8).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

You are therefore to distinguish
וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם (wə·hiḇ·dal·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

between
בֵּֽין־ (bên-)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

clean
הַטְּהֹרָה֙ (haṭ·ṭə·hō·rāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2889: Clean, pure

and unclean
לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה (laṭ·ṭə·mê·’āh)
Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2931: Unclean

animals
הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה (hab·bə·hê·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal

and
וּבֵין־ (ū·ḇên-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

birds.
הָע֥וֹף (hā·‘ō·wp̄)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5775: Flying creatures

Do not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

become contaminated
תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ (ṯə·šaq·qə·ṣū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8262: To be filthy, to loathe, pollute

by any animal
בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה (bab·bə·hê·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal

or bird,
וּבָע֗וֹף (ū·ḇā·‘ō·wp̄)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5775: Flying creatures

or by anything
וּבְכֹל֙ (ū·ḇə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

crawls
תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ (tir·mōś)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7430: To glide swiftly, to crawl, move with short steps, to swarm

on the ground;
הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה (hā·’ă·ḏā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land

I have set these
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

apart
הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי (hiḇ·dal·tî)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

as unclean
לְטַמֵּֽא׃ (lə·ṭam·mê)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

for you.
לָכֶ֖ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 0: 0

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OT Law: Leviticus 20:25 You shall therefore make a distinction between (Le Lv Lev.)