abstain-from-blood

Ten Major Changes to the Watchtower Blood Doctrine Since 1945

"Keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality." — Acts 15:29

For Jehovah's Witnesses, these words form the foundation of one of the organization's most distinctive teachings: the refusal of blood transfusions.

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Acts 15, Blood Transfusions, and a Question Every Jehovah's Witness Should Ask

Few biblical passages have had a greater impact on modern medical decisions than Acts 15:28–29. For Jehovah's Witnesses, these verses are understood to prohibit not only eating blood but also accepting blood transfusions. As a result, many Witnesses have declined transfusions based on their understanding of this passage.

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