Deuteronomy 12:12-29

New International Version

¹² And there rejoice^(A) before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites^(B) from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance^(C) of their own. ¹³ Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.^{(D) 14} Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose^(E) in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

¹⁵ Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer,^(F) according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. ¹⁶ But you must not eat the blood;^(G) pour^(H) it out on the ground like water.^{(I) 17} You must not eat in your own towns the tithe^(J) of your grain and new wine and olive oil,^(K) or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give,^(L) or your freewill offerings or special gifts.^{(M) 18} Instead, you are to eat^(N) them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose^(O)—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice^(P) before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. ¹⁹ Be careful not to neglect the Levites^(Q) as long as you live in your land.^(R)

²⁰ When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory^(S) as he promised^(T) you, and you crave meat^(U) and say, “I would like some meat,” then you may eat as much of it as you want. ²¹ If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name^(V) is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want.^{(W) 22} Eat them as you would gazelle or deer.^(X) Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. ²³ But be sure you do not eat the blood,^(Y) because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.^{(Z) 24} You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.^{(AA) 25} Do not eat it, so that it may go well^(AB) with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right^(AC) in the eyes of the Lord.

²⁶ But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give,^(AD) and go to the place the Lord will choose. ²⁷ Present your burnt offerings^(AE) on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat^(AF) the meat. ²⁸ Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well^(AG) with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

²⁹ The Lord your God will cut off^(AH) before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land,^(AI)