Chapter XXIX.

But it is to be observed that the Jews, who claim for themselves a correct understanding of the law of Moses, carefully restrict their food to such things as are accounted clean, and abstain from those that are unclean.  They also do not use in their food the blood of an animal nor the flesh of an animal torn by wild beasts, and some other things which it would take too long for us at present to detail.  But Jesus, wishing to lead all men by His teaching to the pure worship and service of God, and anxious not to throw any hindrance in the way of many who might be benefited by Christianity, through the imposition of a burdensome code of rules in regard to food, has laid it down, that “not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth; for whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught.  But those things which proceed out of the mouth are evil thoughts when spoken, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”1821    Matt. xv. 11, 17–19.  Paul also says, “Meat commendeth us not to God:  for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.”1822    1 Cor. viii. 8.  Wherefore, as there is some obscurity about this matter, without some explanation is given, it seemed good to the apostles of Jesus and the elders assembled together at Antioch,1823    Acts xv. 28, 29.  It was at Jerusalem. and also, as they themselves say, to the Holy Spirit, to write a letter to the Gentile believers, forbidding them to partake of those things from which alone they say it is necessary to abstain, namely, “things offered to idols, things strangled, and blood.”1824    Acts xv. 28, 29.  It was at Jerusalem.

Ἰστέον μέντοι γε ὅτι, Ἰουδαίων οἰομένων νοεῖν τὸν Μωϋσέως νόμον καὶ τηρούντων ἐπὶ τῶν βρωμάτων τὸ μεταλαμβάνειν μὲν τῶν νενομισμένων αὐτοῖς καθαρῶν ἀπέχεσθαι δὲ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἀλλὰ καὶ μὴ χρῆσθαι αἵματι ζῴου εἰς τροφὴν μηδὲ τοῖς θηριαλώτοις καὶ ἄλλοις, περὶ ὧν πολὺς λόγος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο νῦν οὐκ εὔκαιρον ἐξετασθῆναι, ἡ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ διδασκαλία, βουλομένη πάντας ἀνθρώπους προσκαλέσασθαι εἰς τὴν καθαρὰν θεοσέβειαν καὶ μὴ προφάσει τῆς περὶ βρωμάτων βαρυτέρας νομοθεσίας κωλύειν πολλοὺς τῶν δυναμένων ὠφεληθῆναι εἰς ἤθη ἀπὸ χριστιανισμοῦ, ἀπεφήνατο ὅτι "Οὐ τὰ εἰσερχόμενα εἰς τὸ στόμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐξερχόμενα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος"· τὰ μὲν γὰρ "εἰσερχόμενα εἰς τὸ στόμα εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν", φησί, "χωρεῖ καὶ εἰς ἀφεδρῶνα ἐκβάλλεται", τὰ δ' ἐξιόντα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος "διαλογισμοί" εἰσι "πονηροὶ" λαλούμενοι καὶ "φόνοι" καὶ "μοιχεῖαι" καὶ "πορνεῖαι κλοπαί" τε καὶ "ψευδομαρτυρίαι" καὶ "βλασφημίαι". Φησὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι "Βρῶμα ἡμᾶς οὐ παραστήσει τῷ θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν, περισσεύομεν, οὔτ' ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν, ὑστερούμεθα". Εἶτ' ἐπεὶ ἔχει τινὰ ἀσάφειαν ταῦτα, εἰ μὴ τύχοι διαρθρώσεως, "Ἔδοξε τοῖς τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀποστόλοις καὶ τοῖς" ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ συναχθεῖσιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ "πρεσβυ τέροις" καί, ὡς αὐτοὶ οὗτοι ὠνόμασαν, καὶ "τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι" γράψαι τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν πιστεύουσιν ἐπιστο λήν, μόνα [τά], ὡς ὠνόμασαν, "ἐπάναγκες" ἀπαγορεύουσαν ἐσθίειν· ταῦτα δ' ἐστὶ τὰ ἤτοι εἰδωλόθυτα ἢ τὰ πνικτὰ ἢ τὸ αἷμα.