Christian communities have long debated the issue of eating pork, particularly when weighing New Testament freedom against Old Testament prohibitions. Eating pork was tightly prohibited in the Old Testament, especially under the Mosaic Law, in order to preserve ritual purity. However, many of those dietary limitations were reexamined in light of grace and spiritual liberty with the arrival of Jesus Christ and the creation of the New Covenant.
Believers can better grasp how God perceived particular foods under various covenants by consulting the Bible, which contains explicit allusions to these foods. Pork, for example, is considered unclean in Leviticus, but in the New Testament, especially in Acts and Romans, the focus moves from ceremonial law to the state of the heart and conscience. This change is a reflection of Christ’s revolutionary work, in which he fulfilled the Law and established a new relationship with God based on faith rather than customs.
Scripture, not just custom or cultural opinion, should be the primary source of guidance for Christians today when deciding whether or not to consume pork. The Bible verses about eating pork exhorts believers to have complete faith in themselves and refrain from passing judgment on others based on debatable issues. Additionally, it reminds us that the kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit rather than about eating and drinking, and that gratitude and purity of heart are more important than material consumption.
To better grasp God’s Word on the subject, we shall examine both Old and New Testament texts in this compilation of Bible verses about eating pork. Every passage provides insightful guidance on how Christians should make dietary decisions that respect conscience, honor God, and enjoy the freedom that Christ has granted.
30 Powerful Bible Verses About Eating Pork in 2025
1. Leviticus 11:7
“And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.”
Under the Mosaic Law, God declared pigs unclean animals. Israelites were commanded not to eat pork as part of ceremonial purity and separation from surrounding pagan nations.
2. Deuteronomy 14:8
“The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.”
This reiterates the dietary law in Leviticus. Pigs were not to be consumed or handled, symbolizing obedience and holiness in God’s people.
3. Isaiah 66:17
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs… will meet their end together.”
Isaiah warns of judgment for idolaters and those who ignore God’s commands, using pork consumption as one example of rebellion.
4. Acts 10:13-15
“Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘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.'”
This pivotal vision shows God’s shift in dietary regulations. It symbolizes the acceptance of Gentiles and the lifting of ceremonial restrictions, including food laws.
5. Mark 7:18-19
“Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Jesus teaches that spiritual defilement comes from the heart, not from what is eaten. This marks a fundamental move away from Old Testament food laws.
6. Romans 14:2-3
“One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables… God has accepted them.”
Paul explains that eating meat, including pork, is a matter of personal conscience. No one should judge another for their dietary choices if done in faith.
7. Romans 14:14
“I am convinced… that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.”
This verse emphasizes that under the New Covenant, no food is inherently unclean. However, personal conviction still matters.
8. 1 Timothy 4:4-5
“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”
Paul reinforces that food, including pork, is permissible for Christians if accepted with gratitude and prayer.
9. Colossians 2:16
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink…”
Christians are not bound by old dietary laws. This verse affirms freedom in Christ and warns against legalism.
10. Colossians 2:20-22
“Why… do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?”
Paul challenges believers not to be bound by human regulations, especially those regarding food, since they do not bring spiritual growth.
11. Matthew 15:11
“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Jesus reorients focus from external observance to internal purity. What matters most is the condition of the heart.
12. Galatians 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free… do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Paul encourages believers not to return to Old Covenant legalism, including dietary restrictions like abstaining from pork.
13. Hebrews 9:10
“They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.”
The food laws were temporary measures pointing to Christ. Once He fulfilled the law, such rules were no longer binding.
14. 1 Corinthians 8:8
“Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.”
Spiritual standing is not dependent on food choices. Eating or abstaining from pork does not determine one’s righteousness.
15. Genesis 9:3
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”
After the flood, God permits Noah to eat all animals, showing early allowance before the Law was given to Israel.
16. Proverbs 23:20
“Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.”
While not about pork specifically, this verse warns against excess and gluttony. Moderation in eating, regardless of food type, is wise.
17. Titus 1:15
“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted… nothing is pure.”
This verse speaks to the conscience and heart attitude. For those in Christ, no food is unclean unless defiled by sinful motives.
18. Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Sovereign Lord!… I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
Ezekiel demonstrates his faithfulness to Old Testament dietary laws. His words highlight the contrast between pre-Christ and post-Christ understandings.
19. Daniel 1:8
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…”
Daniel chose to abstain for spiritual reasons. While this wasn’t about pork specifically, it shows personal conviction in dietary choices.
20. Acts 15:19-20
“Instead we should write to them… telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols…”
The early church, in guiding Gentiles, did not mention pork, suggesting it was no longer a pressing issue in Christian practice.
21. Leviticus 20:25
“You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals…”
God’s laws for Israel emphasized purity and separation. These rules were shadows of greater spiritual truths fulfilled in Christ.
22. Galatians 4:9-10
“How is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?”
Paul warns against reverting to Old Testament rituals, including dietary customs, which Christ came to fulfill.
23. Matthew 5:17
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law… I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Jesus didn’t discard the Law but completed it. Christians now live under its fulfillment, not its regulations.
24. Luke 11:41
“But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.”
Jesus teaches that internal righteousness matters more than ritual cleanliness, shifting focus from laws about food.
25. Isaiah 65:3-4
“…a people who continually provoke me… who eat the flesh of pigs…”
This verse condemns pagan practices. The issue wasn’t pork alone but rebellion and idol worship.
26. Philippians 3:18-19
“Their god is their stomach… their mind is set on earthly things.”
Paul warns against living for appetite and fleshly desires. While not about pork specifically, it applies to food idolatry.
27. 1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink… do it all for the glory of God.”
This reminds believers that whatever they eat—including pork—should be done with gratitude and for God’s honor.
28. Hosea 9:3
“They will not remain in the Lord’s land; Ephraim will return to Egypt… and eat unclean food in Assyria.”
Eating unclean food is presented as a result of disobedience. However, this was specific to Israel under the Law.
29. Revelation 18:2
“Babylon… has become a dwelling for demons… and a haunt for every unclean bird…”
Though not about pork directly, “unclean” imagery reflects defilement in a spiritual sense rather than dietary.
30. Galatians 3:24-25
“The law was our guardian until Christ came… Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”
Christians are no longer bound by the ceremonial laws, including those forbidding pork, because faith in Christ brings freedom.
Conclusion
The Bible discusses pork in both the Old and New Testaments, illustrating how the New Covenant’s freedom in Christ replaced the Mosaic Covenant’s stringent dietary regulations. Pork was expressly forbidden as filthy in the Old Testament, and for Israel, it represented sanctity and isolation. These regulations were a component of a broader framework intended to distinguish God’s people on a physical and spiritual level. For the Israelites, avoiding pork was about more than just eating; it was also about obedience, cleanliness, and setting themselves apart from other countries.
However, the goal and application of these laws were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. According to the teachings of the apostles and the Gospels, Jesus redefined purity as a matter of the heart rather than external observances. Scriptures like Mark 7, Acts 10, and Romans 14 make it clear that dietary restrictions, including the ban on pork, are no longer binding for those who are in Christ. These passages emphasize that the most important things are the believer’s conscience, giving thanks to God, and walking in love, rather than following the food laws that once governed ritual cleanliness.
The choice to consume pork or not is ultimately a question of spiritual growth and personal conviction. Christians are urged to act with compassion and respect for one another’s various opinions inside the body of Christ, rather than passing judgment on one another based on food. Whether one chooses to eat pig or refrain, it should be done with a pure conscience, gratitude toward God, and a desire to praise Him in all things.
