16. But you must not eat the blood. You must pour the blood on the ground like water.
17. “Also, the things you are offering to God must not be eaten where you live. These include the part of your grain that belongs to God, the part of your new wine and oil that belongs to God, the first animals born in your herd or flock, any gift that you promised to God, any special gifts you want to give, or any other gifts for God.
18. You must eat these offerings only in his presence at the special place that the Lord your God will choose. You must go there and eat together with your sons, your daughters, all your servants, and the Levites living in your towns. Enjoy yourselves there with the Lord your God. Enjoy what you have worked for.
19. But be sure that you always share these meals with the Levites. Do this as long as you live in your land.
20-21. “The Lord your God promised to make your country larger. When he does this, you might live too far from the place the Lord your God chooses to be the home for his name. If it is too far, and you are hungry for meat, you may eat any meat you have. You may kill any animal from the herd or flock that he has given you. Do this the way I have commanded you. You may eat this meat there where you live any time you want.
22. You may eat this meat the same as you would eat gazelle or deer meat. Anyone can do this—people who are clean and people who are unclean.
23. But be especially careful not to eat the blood, because the life is in the blood. You must not eat meat that still has its life in it.
24. Don’t eat the blood. Pour it out like water onto the ground.
25. So don’t eat blood. You must do what the Lord says is right, and good things will happen to you and to your descendants.
26. “If you decide to give something special to God, you must go to the special place that the Lord your God will choose. And if you make a special promise, you must go to that place to give that gift to God.
27. You must offer your burnt offerings in that place. Offer the meat and the blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. For your other sacrifices, you must pour the blood on the altar of the Lord your God. Then you may eat the meat.