Go
Articles on

Acts 15

Acts 15:20 KJV (With Strong’s)

+
20
But
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
alla (Greek #235)
properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
KJV usage: and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.
Pronounce: al-lah'
Origin: neuter plural of 243
that we write
epistello (Greek #1989)
to enjoin (by writing), i.e. (genitive case) to communicate by letter (for any purpose)
KJV usage: write (a letter, unto).
Pronounce: ep-ee-stel'-lo
Origin: from 1909 and 4724
unto them
autos (Greek #846)
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
KJV usage: her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare 848.
Pronounce: ow-tos'
Origin: from the particle αὖ (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward)
, that they abstain
apechomai (Greek #567)
to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain
KJV usage: abstain.
Pronounce: ap-ekh'-om-ahee
Origin: middle voice (reflexively) of 568
from
apo (Greek #575)
"off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)
KJV usage: (X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
Pronounce: apo'
Origin: a primary particle
pollutions
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
alisgema (Greek #234)
(ceremonially) defilement
KJV usage: pollution.
Pronounce: al-is'-ghem-ah
Origin: from ἀλισγέω (to soil)
ofn idols
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
eidolon (Greek #1497)
an image (i.e. for worship); by implication, a heathen god, or (plural) the worship of such
KJV usage: idol.
Pronounce: i'-do-lon
Origin: from 1491
, and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
from fornication
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
porneia (Greek #4202)
harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry
KJV usage: fornication.
Pronounce: por-ni'-ah
Origin: from 4203
o, and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
from things strangled
pniktos (Greek #4156)
throttled, i.e. (neuter concretely) an animal choked to death (not bled)
KJV usage: strangled.
Pronounce: pnik-tos'
Origin: from 4155
, and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
from blood
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
haima (Greek #129)
blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred
KJV usage: blood.
Pronounce: hah'-ee-mah
Origin: of uncertain derivation
r.
n
Ex. 20:4‑5• 4Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:
 5thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous *God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth generation of them that hate me, (Ex. 20:4‑5)
;
1 Cor. 8:1• 1But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. (1 Cor. 8:1)
,etc.;
1 Cor. 10:28• 28But if any one say to you, This is offered to holy purposes, do not eat, for his sake that pointed it out, and conscience sake; (1 Cor. 10:28)
;
Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee: that thou hast there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a snare before the sons of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices and commit fornication.
 20But I have against thee that thou permittest the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray my servants to commit fornication and eat of idol sacrifices. (Rev. 2:14,20)
;
Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of men who were not killed with these plagues repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the golden and silver and brazen and stone and wooden idols, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. (Rev. 9:20)
o
1 Cor. 6:9,18• 9Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,
 18Flee fornication. Every sin which a man may practise is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,18)
;
Col. 3:5• 5Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile passions, evil lust, and unbridled desire, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5)
;
1 Thess. 4:3• 3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; (1 Thess. 4:3)
r
Lev. 17:14• 14for as to the life of all flesh, its blood is the life in it; and I have said unto the children of Israel, Of the blood of no manner of flesh shall ye eat, for the life of all flesh is its blood: whoever eateth it shall be cut off. (Lev. 17:14)
;
Deut. 12:16,23• 16Only, ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
 23Only, be sure that thou eat not the blood; for the blood is the life, and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh; (Deut. 12:16,23)

More on:

+
Blood,
Fornication,
Idolatry

Cross References

+

Ministry on This Verse

+
from pollutions.
Acts 15:29• 29to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication; keeping yourselves from which ye will do well. Farewell. (Acts 15:29)
;
Gen. 35:2• 2And Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments; (Gen. 35:2)
;
Ex. 20:3‑5,23• 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 4Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:
 5thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous *God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth generation of them that hate me,
 23Ye shall not make beside me gods of silver, and ye shall not make to you gods of gold. (Ex. 20:3‑5,23)
;
Ex. 34:15‑16• 15lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and then, when they go a whoring after their gods, and sacrifice unto their gods, thou be invited, and eat of their sacrifice,
 16and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. (Ex. 34:15‑16)
;
Num. 25:2• 2And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. (Num. 25:2)
;
Psa. 106:37‑39• 37And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,
 38And shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood.
 39And they were defiled with their works, and went a-whoring in their doings. (Psa. 106:37‑39)
;
Ezek. 20:30‑31• 30Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Do ye defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and do ye commit fornication after their abominations?
 31And when ye offer your gifts, making your sons to pass through the fire, ye defile yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day; and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you. (Ezek. 20:30‑31)
;
1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13• 1But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
 4--concerning then the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God save one.
 5For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth,
 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and *we* for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and *we* by him.
 7But knowledge is not in all: but some, with conscience of the idol, until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to idols; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
 8But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage.
 9But see lest anywise this your right to eat itself be a stumbling-block to the weak.
 10For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at table in an idol-house, shall not his conscience, he being weak, be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to the idol?
 11and the weak one, the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge.
 12Now, thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
 13Wherefore if meat be a fall-trap to my brother, I will eat no flesh for ever, that I may not be a fall-trap to my brother. (1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13)
;
1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28• 20But that what the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. Now I do not wish you to be in communion with demons.
 21Ye cannot drink the Lord's cup, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons.
 22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
 28But if any one say to you, This is offered to holy purposes, do not eat, for his sake that pointed it out, and conscience sake; (1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28)
;
Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee: that thou hast there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a snare before the sons of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices and commit fornication.
 20But I have against thee that thou permittest the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray my servants to commit fornication and eat of idol sacrifices. (Rev. 2:14,20)
;
Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of men who were not killed with these plagues repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the golden and silver and brazen and stone and wooden idols, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. (Rev. 9:20)
;
Rev. 10:2,8• 2and having in his hand a little opened book. And he set his right foot on the sea, and the left upon the earth,
 8And the voice which I heard out of the heaven was again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the little book which is opened in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the earth. (Rev. 10:2,8)
fornication.
1 Cor. 5:11• 11But now I have written to you, if any one called brother be fornicator, or avaricious, or idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or rapacious, not to mix with him; with such a one not even to eat. (1 Cor. 5:11)
;
1 Cor. 6:9,13,18• 9Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,
 13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God will bring to nothing both it and them: but the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
 18Flee fornication. Every sin which a man may practise is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,13,18)
;
1 Cor. 7:2• 2but on account of fornications, let each have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband. (1 Cor. 7:2)
;
2 Cor. 12:21• 21lest my God should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised. (2 Cor. 12:21)
;
Gal. 5:19• 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, (Gal. 5:19)
;
Eph. 5:3• 3But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints; (Eph. 5:3)
;
Col. 3:5• 5Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile passions, evil lust, and unbridled desire, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5)
;
1 Thess. 4:3• 3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; (1 Thess. 4:3)
;
Heb. 12:16• 16lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright; (Heb. 12:16)
;
Heb. 13:4• 4Let marriage be held every way in honour, and the bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers will God judge. (Heb. 13:4)
;
1 Peter 4:3• 3For the time past is sufficient for us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness, lusts, wine-drinking, revels, drinkings, and unhallowed idolatries. (1 Peter 4:3)
things.
Acts 21:25• 25But concerning those of the nations who have believed, we have written, deciding that they should observe no such thing, only to keep themselves both from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. (Acts 21:25)
;
Gen. 9:4• 4Only, the flesh with its life, its blood, ye shall not eat. (Gen. 9:4)
;
Lev. 3:17• 17It is an everlasting statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings: no fat and no blood shall ye eat. (Lev. 3:17)
;
Lev. 7:23‑27• 23Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, No fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat shall ye eat.
 24But the fat of a dead carcase, and the fat of that which is torn, may be used in any other use; but ye shall in no wise eat it.
 25For whoever eateth the fat of the beast of which men present an offering by fire to Jehovah, the soul that hath eaten shall be cut off from his peoples.
 26And no blood shall ye eat in any of your dwellings, whether it be of fowl or of cattle.
 27Whatever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples. (Lev. 7:23‑27)
;
Lev. 17:10‑14• 10And every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood,--I will set my face against the soul that hath eaten blood, and will cut him off from among his people;
 11for the soul of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul.
 12Therefore have I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall the stranger who sojourneth among you eat blood.
 13And every one of the children of Israel, and of the strangers who sojourn among them, that catcheth in the hunt a beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with earth;
 14for as to the life of all flesh, its blood is the life in it; and I have said unto the children of Israel, Of the blood of no manner of flesh shall ye eat, for the life of all flesh is its blood: whoever eateth it shall be cut off. (Lev. 17:10‑14)
;
Deut. 12:16,23‑25• 16Only, ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
 23Only, be sure that thou eat not the blood; for the blood is the life, and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh;
 24thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water:
 25thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah. (Deut. 12:16,23‑25)
;
Deut. 14:21• 21Ye shall eat of no carcase; thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is within thy gates, that he may eat it, or sell it unto a foreigner; for thou art a holy people to Jehovah thy God. Thou shalt not boil a kid in its mother's milk. (Deut. 14:21)
;
Deut. 15:23• 23Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof: thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water. (Deut. 15:23)
;
1 Sam. 14:32• 32And the people fell on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. (1 Sam. 14:32)
;
Ezek. 4:14• 14Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, my soul hath not been defiled, and from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or of that which is torn; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth. (Ezek. 4:14)
;
Ezek. 33:25• 25Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood; and shall ye possess the land? (Ezek. 33:25)
;
1 Tim. 4:4‑5• 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, being received with thanksgiving;
 5for it is sanctified by God's word and freely addressing him. (1 Tim. 4:4‑5)
• In Acts 15 the commands to abstain from blood, from things offered to idols, and from fornication, are obligatory on a Christian now. They are not from law, but from Noah. Not that I should think if I had eaten blood, that I was defiled by it, for it is not the things that go in that defile. The above three things are special: one is life, and belongs to God; then idols are the giving up of the true God altogether; and fornication is giving up the purity of man. They are the three things which form the standard elements of what I have to say to God in. The two are plain enough: the third may be less clear. If a man came to me and said, That rabbit was caught in a trap,' I could say, Well, I will not eat it, simply for his sake.' To me these three principles are the expression of man as belonging to God, and not to his own lusts. As to blood, it is the life, and clearly belongs to God, but I leave every man's conscience to himself. (“Notes on 1 Corinthians 10” by J.N. Darby)
• Abstinence from things strangled and blood brought in the recognition of God's taking account of man as fallen. God forbade both: the use of the creature was not forbidden to man, but God prohibited meddling with the special signs of death; life belongs to God, and it was forfeited through sin. (“On Acts 15:12-21” by W. Kelly)
• We must observe that they were not things forbidden by the law only. It was that which was contrary to the order established by God as Creator, or to a prohibition given to Noah when he was told to eat flesh. Woman was only to be connected with man in the sanctity of marriage, and this is a very great blessing. Life belonged to God. All fellowship with idols was an outrage against the authority of the true God. Let Moses teach his own laws; these things were contrary to the intelligent knowledge of the true God. It is not therefore a new law imposed by Christianity, nor an accommodation to the prejudices of the Jews. (“Acts 15” by J.N. Darby)
• It is the expression to Christian intelligence of the terms of man’s true relations with God in the things of nature….I have said, addressed to Christian intelligence: accordingly there is nothing inconsistent in eating anything that is sold at the shambles; for I acknowledge God who gave it, and not an idol. But if the act implies communion with the idol, even to the conscience of another, it would be provoking God to jealousy; I sin against Him or against my neighbor. (“Acts 15” by J.N. Darby)
• I do not know whether an animal is strangled or not, but if people act so as to imply that it is indifferent whether life belongs to God or not, I sin again; I am not defiled by the thing, but I fail in Christian intelligence with regard to the rights of God as Creator. (“Acts 15” by J.N. Darby)
• With regard to fornication, this enters into the category of Christian purity, besides being contrary to the order of the Creator; so that it is a direct question of good and evil, and not only of the rights of God revealed to our intelligence. (“Acts 15” by J.N. Darby)
• “The pollution of idols” were meats offered to idols, as in ver. 29. (“Acts 15:12-21” by W. Kelly)
• It was going up rather to God's ways with Noah, than enforcing the law of Moses. Noah being a sort of head of mankind generally, after the flood, Gentile liberty was thus secured, idolatry was intolerable, and so was fornication, however universal both among the nations. Abstinence from things strangled and blood brought in the recognition of God's taking account of man as fallen. God forbade both: the use of the creature was not forbidden to man, but God prohibited meddling with the special signs of death; life belongs to God, and it was forfeited through sin. (“Acts 15:12-21” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

+
20
but to write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from bloodf.

JND Translation Notes

+
f
Or "and of fornication, and of what is strangled, and of blood."

W. Kelly Translation

+
20
but write to them that they may abstain from pollutions of idolsa, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

WK Translation Notes

+
a
"The pollution of idols" were meats offered to idols, as in verse 29. We may think it strange to see unclean sin classed with idolatrous sanction; but the Jew felt differently, while to the Gentile they were equally indifferent to both.