Deuteronomy 12:1   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess-as long as you live in the land.

Deuteronomy 12:2   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods.

Deuteronomy 12:4   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.

Deuteronomy 12:5   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go;

Deuteronomy 12:6   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

Deuteronomy 12:7   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:8   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit,

Deuteronomy 12:9   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 12:10   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety.

Deuteronomy 12:11   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name-there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 12:12   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

And there rejoice before the Lord your God-you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

Deuteronomy 12:13   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.

Deuteronomy 12:14   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:15   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

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, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

Deuteronomy 12:16   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 12:17   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.

Deuteronomy 12:18   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose-you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns-and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to.

Deuteronomy 12:19   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

Deuteronomy 12:20   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, "I would like some meat," then you may eat as much of it as you want.

Deuteronomy 12:21   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name 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.

Deuteronomy 12:22   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat.

Deuteronomy 12:23   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.

Deuteronomy 12:24   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 12:25   (Read all of Deuteronomy 12)

Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.