Acts 15:20 Parallel Translations

Instead, we should write a letter telling them to keep away from things polluted by false gods, from sexual sins, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from eating bloody meat.(GOD'S WORD®)

KJV:

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

ASV:

but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

BBE:

But that we give them orders to keep themselves from things offered to false gods, and from the evil desires of the body, and from the flesh of animals put to death in ways against the law, and from blood.

DBY:

but to write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

ERV:

but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

WEY:

Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood.

WBS:

But that we write to them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from things strangled, and from blood.

WEB:

but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

YLT:

but to write to them to abstain from the pollutions of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing; and the blood;

Acts 15:20 Cross References

XREF:

Genesis 9:4 "Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Exodus 34:15 otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice,

Leviticus 3:17 'It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"

Leviticus 7:26 'You are not to eat any blood, either of bird or animal, in any of your dwellings.

Leviticus 17:10 'And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 17:14 "For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, 'You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.'

Leviticus 18:6 'None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:26 You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.

Deuteronomy 12:16 "Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 12:23 "Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.

Deuteronomy 15:23 "Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

1 Samuel 14:33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood." And he said, "You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to me today."

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

Acts 15:29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

1 Corinthians 8:7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

1 Corinthians 10:7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY."

1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.

Revelation 2:20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from {i} pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood.
(i) From sacrifices, or from feasts which were kept in idol's temples.

PNT:

15:20 That they abstain. Four items are mentioned, which are all embraced in the apostolic letter as things forbidden. They were four common customs of the Gentile world, and matters on which there should be a clear understanding.
From the pollutions of idols. The first does not mean only to refrain from worshiping idols, or eating meat offered in idol sacrifice, but from all the pollutions of the system of idolatry. Licentiousness and drunkenness received a sanction from religion. See Lecky's European Morals, chap. V. and Conybeare and Howson's Paul, chap. IV.
[From] fornication. Chastity was the exception instead of the rule among Gentiles at this period.
[From] things strangled. Because in strangling the blood was retained in the flesh.
[From] blood. The use of blood was prohibited by the Mosaic law (Le 17:14 De 12:16,23), and for wise reasons this prohibition was extended to Gentiles. The Roman epicures were wont to drown fowls in wine and then use the flesh. It was a common thing to drink wine mingled with blood. The only way to strike at these savage practices was to prohibit its use.

WES:

15:20 To abstain from fornication - Which even the philosophers among the heathens did not account any fault. It was particularly frequent in the worship of their idols, on which account they are here named together. And from things strangled - That is, from whatever had been killed, without pouring out the blood. When God first permitted man to eat flesh, he commanded Noah, and in him all his posterity, whenever they killed any creature for food, to abstain from the blood thereof. It was to be poured upon the ground as water: doubtless in honour of that blood which was in due time poured out for the sin of the world.

MHC:

15:7-21 We see from the words purifying their hearts by faith, and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences will be purified from the guilt of sin, and we shall be freed from the burdens some try to lay upon the disciples of Christ. Paul and Barnabas showed by plain matters of fact, that God owned the preaching of the pure gospel to the Gentiles without the law of Moses; therefore to press that law upon them, was to undo what God had done. The opinion of James was, that the Gentile converts ought not to be troubled about Jewish rites, but that they should abstain from meats offered to idols, so that they might show their hatred of idolatry. Also, that they should be cautioned against fornication, which was not abhorred by the Gentiles as it should be, and even formed a part of some of their rites. They were counselled to abstain from things strangled, and from eating blood; this was forbidden by the law of Moses, and also here, from reverence to the blood of the sacrifices, which being then still offered, it would needlessly grieve the Jewish converts, and further prejudice the unconverted Jews. But as the reason has long ceased, we are left free in this, as in the like matters. Let converts be warned to avoid all appearances of the evils which they formerly practised, or are likely to be tempted to; and caution them to use Christian liberty with moderation and prudence.

CONC:

Abstain Animals Blood Body Connexion Contaminated Death Desires Evil Flesh Fornication Gods Idolatry Idols Immorality Instructions Killed Law Lewdness Meat Offered Orders Polluted Pollution Pollutions Sexual Strangled Strangling Telling Themselves Unchastity Whoredom Written Yet

Abstain Animals Blood Body Connexion Contaminated Death Desires Evil False. Flesh Food Fornication Gods Idolatry Idols Immorality Instead Instructions Killed Lewdness Meat Offered Orders Polluted Pollution Pollutions Sexual Strangled Strangling Telling Unchastity Ways Write Written

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