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Acts 15

Acts 15:20 KJV (With Strong’s)

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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 unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (Ex. 20:4‑5)
;
1 Cor. 8:1• 1Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. (1 Cor. 8:1)
,etc.;
1 Cor. 10:28• 28But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: (1 Cor. 10:28)
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Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
 20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Rev. 2:14,20)
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Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: (Rev. 9:20)
o
1 Cor. 6:9,18• 9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,18)
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Col. 3:5• 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, 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 it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever 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:

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Blood,
Fornication,
Idolatry

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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from pollutions.
Acts 15:29• 29That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. (Acts 15:29)
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Gen. 35:2• 2Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: (Gen. 35:2)
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Ex. 20:3‑5,23• 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
 23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto 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 they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his 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)
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Num. 25:2• 2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. (Num. 25:2)
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Psa. 106:37‑39• 37Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
 38And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
 39Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. (Psa. 106:37‑39)
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Ezek. 20:30‑31• 30Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
 31For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute 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 God, I will not be inquired of by you. (Ezek. 20:30‑31)
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1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13• 1Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
 4As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
 5For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
 6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
 7Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
 8But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
 9But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
 10For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
 11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
 12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
 13Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. (1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13)
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1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28• 20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
 22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
 28But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: (1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28)
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Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
 20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Rev. 2:14,20)
;
Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: (Rev. 9:20)
;
Rev. 10:2,8• 2And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
 8And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. (Rev. 10:2,8)
fornication.
1 Cor. 5:11• 11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. (1 Cor. 5:11)
;
1 Cor. 6:9,13,18• 9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
 13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,13,18)
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1 Cor. 7:2• 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (1 Cor. 7:2)
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2 Cor. 12:21• 21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. (2 Cor. 12:21)
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Gal. 5:19• 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (Gal. 5:19)
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Eph. 5:3• 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (Eph. 5:3)
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Col. 3:5• 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Col. 3:5)
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1 Thess. 4:3• 3For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (1 Thess. 4:3)
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Heb. 12:16• 16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb. 12:16)
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Heb. 13:4• 4Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Heb. 13:4)
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1 Peter 4:3• 3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: (1 Peter 4:3)
things.
Acts 21:25• 25As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. (Acts 21:25)
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Gen. 9:4• 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. (Gen. 9:4)
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Lev. 3:17• 17It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. (Lev. 3:17)
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Lev. 7:23‑27• 23Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
 24And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.
 25For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
 26Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
 27Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. (Lev. 7:23‑27)
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Lev. 17:10‑14• 10And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
 11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
 12Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
 13And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
 14For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever 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 that which is right in the sight of the Lord. (Deut. 12:16,23‑25)
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Deut. 14:21• 21Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. (Deut. 14:21)
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Deut. 15:23• 23Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water. (Deut. 15:23)
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1 Sam. 14:32• 32And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. (1 Sam. 14:32)
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Ezek. 4:14• 14Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth. (Ezek. 4:14)
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Ezek. 33:25• 25Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; 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)
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1 Tim. 4:4‑5• 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (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

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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

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

W. Kelly Translation

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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

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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.