New Testament References to Clean and Unclean
(25 total references – the entire passage is included when several references are group together)
Matthew 7:6, 8:28-32, 23:27; Mark 5:1-13; Luke 8:26-33; Luke 15:32-33; Acts 10:14, 11:8; Romans 6:19-22; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; Ephesians 4:17-24, Col. 3:5, I Thess 3:13, 4:7, 5:22, I Tim. 4:3-5; I Peter 1:2, 1:13-16; 2 Peter 2:22, 3:11; Rev. 16:14, 18:2.
Unclean Spirits connected to Unclean Animals (7 references): Matthew 8:28-32, Mark 5:1-13, Luke 8:26-33, Luke 15:32-33, 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1, Rev. 16:14, Rev. 18:2.
References to Clean Animal Meat through the Greek word Broma (see chapter two for explanation – 11 references): Matthew 14:15, Mark 7:19, Luke 3:11, 9:13, Romans 14:15, 20, I cor. 3:2, I cor. 6:13, I Cor. 8:8, 13, I Tim. 4:3.
Matthew 7:6 – “6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Matthew 8:28-32 – “28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.”
Mark 5:1-2, 8-13 – “1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit… 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.”
Luke 8:26-27, 32-33 – “26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs…32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. 33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.”
Luke 15:15-16 – “15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”
Matthew 23:27 – “27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”
Acts 10:14 – “14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.”
Acts 11:8 – “8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.”
Romans 6:19-22 – “19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 – “14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Ephesians 4:17-24 – “17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Colossians 3:5 – “5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry…”
I Thessalonians 3:13 – “3 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
I Thessalonians 4:7 – “7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”
I Thessalonians 5:23 – “23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I Tim. 4:3-5 – “3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”*
*The Word of God only sanctifies clean animal meats to be received with thanksgiving for food. The false doctrine Paul discussed in these verses taught that both marriage and clean animal meat were forbidden.
2 Tim. 2:21 – “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
I Peter 1:2 – “2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
I Peter 1:13-16 – “13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
2 Peter 2:22 – “22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
2 Peter 3:11 – “11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness…”
Rev. 16:13 – “13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.”
Rev. 18:2 – “2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”
Unclean Spirits connected to Unclean Animals (7 references): Matthew 8:28-32, Mark 5:1-13, Luke 8:26-33, Luke 15:32-33, 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1, Rev. 16:14, Rev. 18:2.
All verses referenced above.
References to Clean Animal Meat through the Greek word Broma (see chapter two for explanation – 11 references): Matthew 14:15, Mark 7:19, Luke 3:11, 9:13, Romans 14:15, 20, I Cor. 3:2, I Cor. 6:13, I Cor. 8:8, 13, I Tim. 4:3.
Matthew 14:15 – “15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.”
Mark 7:19 – “19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?”
Luke 3:11 – “11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”
Luke 9:13 – “But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.”
Romans 14:15, 20 – “15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died…20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.”
I Cor. 3:2 – “2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
I Cor. 6:13 – “13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”
I Cor. 8:8, 13 – “8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse…13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
I Tim. 4:3 – “3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”