While the Bible doesn’t specifically endorse veganism, it does speak about food choices and the importance of stewardship over creation. Scripture allows for a variety of diets, but it encourages respect for others’ choices and care for the earth. We’ll explore how the Bible addresses food, diet, and our responsibility to both our bodies and the environment.
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What Does The Bible Say About Vegans
Genesis 1:29
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”
This verse emphasizes that God provided plants and fruits as a source of food for humanity. It affirms the idea that a vegan lifestyle aligns with God’s original design.
A vegan diet is centered on consuming plant-based foods and abstaining from animal products. It promotes kindness, compassion, and stewardship towards God’s creation.
Isaiah 11:6
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
This verse depicts a peaceful future where animals coexist harmoniously. It highlights the biblical theme of living in harmony with all of God’s creation.
A vegan lifestyle can contribute to this harmony by reducing animal suffering, promoting environmental sustainability, and cultivating a more compassionate world.
Proverbs 12:10
The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
This verse encourages the righteous to show care and compassion towards animals. It reminds believers of their responsibility to treat animals with kindness and respect.
A vegan lifestyle reflects this biblical principle by abstaining from the exploitation and harm inflicted upon animals in the modern food industry.
Daniel 1:12
“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.”
In this passage, Daniel and his friends chose a plant-based diet over the rich foods offered by the king. They sought to honor God by refusing to defile themselves.
A vegan lifestyle aligns with the intent behind Daniel’s choice, promoting integrity, self-discipline, and honoring God through mindful choices.
Romans 14:21
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
This verse emphasizes the importance of considering the spiritual well-being of others. It encourages believers to avoid actions that may lead others astray or cause them to stumble.
A vegan lifestyle can be a way of respecting the convictions and dietary preferences of those who may be offended or stumble due to the consumption of animal products.
Proverbs 15:17
Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.
This proverb highlights the value of love and contentment over material abundance. It teaches that a simple meal, consumed with love and gratitude, is more valuable than an extravagant one filled with negativity.
A vegan lifestyle can cultivate a heart of gratitude, mindfulness, and simplicity, focusing on the joy of nourishing the body with plant-based foods while demonstrating love towards all living beings.
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.
These verses affirm that all creation is inherently good because it is made by God. It encourages believers to receive all things with thanksgiving, recognizing God’s provision.
A vegan lifestyle can be an expression of gratitude, acknowledging God’s provision through the abundance of plant-based foods and embracing a diet that celebrates the goodness of God’s creation.
Romans 14:2
One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
This verse acknowledges the diversity of beliefs and practices among believers. It underscores that personal dietary choices can vary based on individual faith and convictions.
A vegan lifestyle may be an expression of personal faith, reflecting the belief in non-violence, compassion towards animals, and stewardship of God’s creation.
Psalm 145:9
The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
This psalm expresses the goodness of God and His compassion towards all His creation. It highlights His universal care and love for every living being.
A vegan lifestyle can be an extension of this compassion and a way to align our choices with the character and nature of God, showing love and concern for all creatures.
Proverbs 27:27
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
This verse mentions the use of goats’ milk as a means of nourishing and sustaining a household.
While it doesn’t specifically address veganism, it does highlight the availability of plant-based alternatives in providing sustenance and nourishment in different cultures.
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
This verse reminds believers of God’s provision and care for all living creatures. It encourages trust in God’s faithfulness in meeting our needs.
A vegan lifestyle can reflect this trust, recognizing our dependence on God’s provision while embracing a diet that does not contribute to animal exploitation and cruelty.
Psalm 104:14-15
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
This psalm acknowledges the provision of plants for both animals and humans. It celebrates the abundance of food that comes from the earth, including the nourishment derived from plants.
A vegan lifestyle aligns with the recognition of God’s provision through plant-based foods, emphasizing the bounty and sustenance available from the earth.
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.
In this verse, God grants permission to consume animals as food, following the flood. It marks a transition after humanity’s diet was primarily plant-based in the beginning.
While this verse permits the consumption of meat, it does not mandate it, and a vegan lifestyle may still be chosen as a personal conviction or ethical choice in stewarding God’s creation.
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
This verse calls believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, dedicating themselves wholly to God. It emphasizes the surrender and devotion required in following Christ.
A vegan lifestyle can be a tangible expression of this surrender, dedicating our bodies to be holy and separate from practices that may conflict with God’s calling to care for His creation.
Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.
This verse depicts a future where even wild animals will coexist peacefully and have their dietary habits transformed. It speaks of a time when harm and destruction will cease.
A vegan lifestyle can be seen as moving closer to this vision of peace and the restoration of God’s creation, aligning our choices with the ultimate peace that will reign in His kingdom.
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.”
In this passage, Peter receives a vision challenging his dietary practices according to Jewish law. The voice tells him not to consider as impure what God has made clean.
While traditionally this passage is interpreted as a call to embrace Gentiles into the faith, it can also serve as a reminder that God’s definition of what is clean and acceptable may differ from our cultural or personal preferences.
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.
In this verse, Jesus addresses the Pharisees’ focus on external rules and regulations. He emphasizes that it is not what one consumes that defiles a person but rather the words and attitudes that come from the heart.
While this verse does not directly reference veganism, it can serve as a reminder that a vegan lifestyle alone does not determine one’s righteousness. It reminds us to cultivate love, compassion, and kindness in our interactions with others.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
These verses emphasize that believers’ bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, belonging to God. It calls for honoring God through the choices made with our bodies.
A vegan lifestyle can be viewed as a way of honoring God by treating our bodies as sacred vessels and aligning our choices with values of health, compassion, and integrity.
Genesis 6:19-21
You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.
This passage describes God’s instructions to Noah for the preservation of animals during the deluge. It includes provisions for their sustenance and highlights the importance of caring for all creatures.
A vegan lifestyle can be seen as a continuation of this stewardship, contributing to the preservation of God’s creation and demonstrating care for the well-being of animals.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
In this verse, Paul encourages believers to live their lives in a way that brings glory to God. It emphasizes the importance of aligning all aspects of life, including dietary choices, with a desire to honor and glorify God.
A vegan lifestyle can be a deliberate choice to reflect God’s love, grace, and compassion, seeking to glorify Him through mindful and ethical food choices.
Colossians 2:16
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
In this verse, Paul addresses the Colossians, advising them not to be judged based on their dietary practices or observance of religious rituals.
A vegan lifestyle may be a personal choice guided by ethical, health, or environmental reasons. It is important to embrace diversity within the body of Christ and not judge others based solely on their dietary choices.