What Jehovah’s Witnesses Teach
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the Bible’s prohibition against the consumption of blood also applies to blood transfusions. They interpret this as a parallel to eating blood, as both involve the blood being supplied to the body. This view is based mainly on three biblical scriptures:
- For example, Genesis 9:4, where God instructs Noah and his descendants not to eat meat with the blood in it, because the blood represents life.
- See Leviticus 17:10–14, which links the sacredness of blood to its use for atonement on the altar.
- Acts 15:28-29, where the early Christians are instructed to abstain from blood.
Jehovah’s Witnesses view blood transfusions as a serious violation of God’s law. They believe that even in medical emergencies, obedience to God must be prioritized over physical life.
What the Bible Says
Acts 15:20, 29 about “abstaining from blood” is a direct reference to the prohibition of the Mosaic Law (1 Corinthians 15:20,29). —Exodus 9:4; Leviticus 17:10-14). The expression of the Mosaic Law is limited to eating food with blood and does not invite an extended interpretation beyond this.
In 1 Corinthians 10:25-27, Paul encourages Christians to eat meat sold in the market without checking for blood. In other words, the prohibition of blood is not absolute. This shows that the purpose was not to impose rigid rules, but to respect the sanctity of blood in given contexts. It may appear that Jehovah’s Witnesses have overlooked this important information as they go to great lengths to examine the content of the medical treatment they receive.
Jesus pointed out in Matthew 12:1–7 that the purpose of the law is to serve man, not to impose unnecessary burdens, and he criticized the Pharisees for interpreting the Sabbath law rigidly without understanding its purpose. Likewise, the prohibition against eating blood is meant to express respect for the sanctity of life, not to prevent the saving of life. If a person dies because you make your own rules that prohibit the medical use of blood, you show disrespect for the sanctity of life and misunderstand the purpose of the injunction1.
- It is important to clarify that blood transfusions are not always the best medical treatment as this method of treatment can sometimes be used because it is a cheaper and perhaps easier solution than the alternatives. Blood transfusions can carry risks such as unwanted infection and bodily rejection. What I am talking about here is limited to those cases where life will be lost without a blood transfusion. ↩︎
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