AISBT ReaderRom 14:14, 20: "unclean" and "clean" against the Levitical background
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Rom 14:14, 20: "unclean" and "clean" against the Levitical background

Says Rom 14:14 says οὐδὲν κοινὸν in itself ("nothing is unclean in itself," BSB), and 14:20 says πάντα μὲν καθαρά ("All food is clean," BSB). Neither verse quotes the Old Testament.

Says Lev 11:47 closes the food laws: לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹר ("You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean," BSB). The Hebrew adjectives are singular with the article (טָמֵא, "unclean," BDB p. 379; טָהוֹר, "clean," BDB p. 373); Swete has the plurals τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν καθαρῶν.

Says Lev 10:10 sets two pairs: וּלֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין הַחֹל וּבֵין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהוֹר ("between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean," BSB); חֹל is "commonness" (BDB p. 320). Swete has ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τῶν βεβήλων, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ τῶν καθαρῶν, with βέβηλος for חֹל.

Implies Paul's καθαρά is the adjective Swete uses for טָהוֹר in both verses, but his κοινόν is neither Swete's word for טָמֵא there (ἀκάθαρτος) nor for חֹל (βέβηλος). Its sense "unclean" belongs to this Levitical field by meaning, not by shared wording with these verses.

Uncertain Whether 14:14 addresses the Levitical food laws as such, food linked with idols, or only some foods is not settled by the Hebrew background. No lean is taken here.

See the Greek note (note.language.Rom.14.13-Rom.14.23.koinos-proskomma) and the exegetical note (note.exegetical.Rom.14.13-Rom.14.23.stumbling-kingdom-faith).

Claims

  • SaysRom 14:14 says οὐδὲν κοινὸν in itself, and 14:20 πάντα μὲν καθαρά; neither verse quotes the Old Testament.
  • SaysLev 11:47 closes the food laws: לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹר; the Hebrew adjectives are singular with the article; Swete has the plurals τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν καθαρῶν.
  • SaysLev 10:10 sets two pairs, holy and common (הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַחֹל) and unclean and clean (הַטָּמֵא, הַטָּהוֹר); Swete ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τῶν βεβήλων, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ τῶν καθαρῶν, with βέβηλος for חֹל.
  • ImpliesPaul's καθαρά is Swete's adjective for טָהוֹר in Lev 10:10 and 11:47, but κοινόν is neither Swete's word there for טָמֵא (ἀκάθαρτος) nor for חֹל (βέβηλος); its sense "unclean" belongs to the Levitical field by meaning, not by shared wording with these verses.
  • UncertainWhether Rom 14:14 addresses the Levitical food laws as such, food linked with idols, or only some foods is not settled by the Hebrew background. No lean.

Citations

  • OSHB CC BY 4.0 Lev 11:47 (הַטָּמֵא, הַטָּהֹר morph HTd/Aamsa); Lev 10:10 (הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַחֹל morph HTd/Ncmsa; הַטָּמֵא, הַטָּהוֹר morph HTd/Aamsa)
  • BDB CC BY 4.0 טָמֵא (H2931), p. 379, entry i.ay.ab; טָהוֹר (H2889), p. 373, entry i.ah.ae; חֹל (H2455), p. 320, entry h.ct.ab
  • LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Lev 10:10 (vol. 1 p. 206; apparatus: no entry at 10); Lev 11:47 (vol. 1 p. 210; apparatus: nothing at the quoted words; the next entry is "και 2°] + συμβιβαζειν τους υιους Ισραηλ F"). LXX read on the Swete page image, vol. 1 (1909), pp. 206, 210.
  • SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 14:14, 20
  • BSB public domain Rom 14:14, 20; Lev 10:10; Lev 11:47
Sources OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 BDB CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-09

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