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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• 4{i}Thou 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:{/i}
 5{i}thou 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,{/i} (Ex. 20:4‑5)
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1 Cor. 8:1• 1But concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge; knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. (1 Cor. 8:1)
,etc.;
1 Cor. 10:28• 28But if anyone say to you, This is sacrificed, eat not for his sake that pointed [it] out, and conscience; (1 Cor. 10:28)
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Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee, [because] thou hast there {i}some{/i} {i}that{/i} hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication.
 20But I have against thee that thou lettest alone the woman Jezebel that calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and deceiveth my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. (Rev. 2:14,20)
;
Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood which can neither see nor hear nor walk; (Rev. 9:20)
o
1 Cor. 6:9,18• 9What! know ye not that unjust [men] shall not inherit God's kingdom? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers of themselves as women, nor abusers of themselves with men,
 18Flee fornication. Every sin whatsoever that a man may Practice is outside the body, but the fornicator sinneth against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,18)
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Col. 3:5• 5Put to death therefore your members that [are] on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (Col. 3:5)
;
1 Thess. 4:3• 3For this is [the] will of God, your sanctification, that ye 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 to the children of Israel, Of the blood of no manner of flesh shall ye eat, for the life of all flesh is its blood: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. (Lev. 17:14)
;
Deut. 12:16,23• 16{i}Only, ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.{/i}
 23{i}Only, be sure that thou eat not the blood; for the blood is the life, and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh;{/i} (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• 29to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication, from which if ye keep yourselves ye shall do well. Farewell. (Acts 15:29)
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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)
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Ex. 20:3‑5,23• 3{i}Thou shalt have no other gods before me.{/i}
 4{i}Thou 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:{/i}
 5{i}thou 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,{/i}
 23{i}Ye shall not make beside me gods of silver, and ye shall not make to you gods of gold.{/i} (Ex. 20:3‑5,23)
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Ex. 34:15‑16• 15{i}lest 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,{/i}
 16{i}and 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.{/i} (Ex. 34:15‑16)
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Num. 25:2• 2{i}And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods.{/i} (Num. 25:2)
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Psa. 106:37‑39• 37And they sacrificed their sons{HR}And their daughters to the demons;
 38And shed innocent blood—{HR}Blood of their sons and their daughters,{HR}Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan,{HR}And the land was polluted with blood.
 39And they were defiled in their doings,{HR}And went a whoring in their actions. (Psa. 106:37‑39)
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Ezek. 20:30‑31• 30Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, 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, Ο house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you. (Ezek. 20:30‑31)
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1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13• 1But concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge; knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.
 4Concerning the eating, then, of the things sacrificed to idols, we know that [there is] no idol in [the] world, and that [there is] no God save one.
 5For even if there are [so-]called gods whether in heaven, or on earth, as there are gods many and lords many;
 6yet to us [there is] one God the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we unto him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.
 7Howbeit not in all [is] the knowledge, but some with conscience of the idol until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
 8But meat shall not commend us to God; neither if we eat have we the advantage, nor if we eat not do we come short.
 9But see lest in any wise this your title become a stumbling-block to the weak.
 10For if anyone see thee who hast knowledge sitting at table in an idol's temple, shall not his conscience, as he is weak, be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols?
 11And he that is weak perisheth by thy knowledge, the brother for whom Christ died?
 12But thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
 13Wherefore, if meat stumble my brother, I will in nowise eat flesh forever, that I may not stumble my brother. (1 Cor. 8:1,4‑13)
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1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28• 20but that what they sacrifice, they sacrificed to demons, and not to God; and I wish you not to be in fellowship with demons.
 21Ye cannot drink [the] Lord's cup, and a cup of demons; ye cannot partake of [the] Lord's table, and of a table of demons.
 22What! do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
 28But if anyone say to you, This is sacrificed, eat not for his sake that pointed [it] out, and conscience; (1 Cor. 10:20‑22,28)
;
Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee, [because] thou hast there {i}some{/i} {i}that{/i} hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication.
 20But I have against thee that thou lettest alone the woman Jezebel that calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and deceiveth my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. (Rev. 2:14,20)
;
Rev. 9:20• 20And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood which can neither 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 on the sea, and the left on the earth,
 8And the voice which I heard from heaven {i}was{/i} again speaking with me, and said, Go, take the book that is open in the hand of the angel that standeth on the sea and on the earth. (Rev. 10:2,8)
fornication.
1 Cor. 5:11• 11But now I have written to you, if anyone called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or idolatrous, or abusive, or a drunkard, or rapacious, not to mix with [him], with such an one not even to eat. (1 Cor. 5:11)
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1 Cor. 6:9,13,18• 9What! know ye not that unjust [men] shall not inherit God's kingdom? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers of themselves as women, nor abusers of themselves with men,
 13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God will bring to nought 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 whatsoever that a man may Practice is outside the body, but the fornicator sinneth against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:9,13,18)
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1 Cor. 7:2• 2but on account of fornications let each have his own wife and each have her own husband. (1 Cor. 7:2)
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2 Cor. 12:21• 21lest on my coming again my God humble me among you, and, bewail many of those that have sinned heretofore and not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and indecency which they committed. (2 Cor. 12:21)
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Gal. 5:19• 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, (Gal. 5:19)
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Eph. 5:3• 3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be even named among you, even as becometh saints; (Eph. 5:3)
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Col. 3:5• 5Put to death therefore your members that [are] on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (Col. 3:5)
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1 Thess. 4:3• 3For this is [the] will of God, your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; (1 Thess. 4:3)
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Heb. 12:16• 16lest [there be] any fornicator or profane one as Esau who for one meal sold his own birthright; (Heb. 12:16)
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Heb. 13:4• 4[Be] marriage in all [things] held in honour, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Heb. 13:4)
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1 Peter 4:3• 3For the past time [is] sufficient to have wrought out the will of the Gentiles, walking as ye had done in lasciviousness, lusts, wine-bibbings, revels, carousings, and unhallowed idolatries; (1 Peter 4:3)
things.
Acts 21:25• 25But, as touching the Gentiles that believed, we wrote, giving judgment, that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication. (Acts 21:25)
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Gen. 9:4• 4Only flesh with its life, its blood, ye shall not eat. (Gen. 9:4)
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Lev. 3:17• 17[It is] an everlasting statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings: no fat and no blood shall ye eat. (Lev. 3:17)
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Lev. 7:23‑27• 23Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no fat of ox, or sheep, or goat.
 24And the fat of a dead carcass, and the fat of that which is torn, may be used in any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat it.
 25For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast of which men offer a fire offering to Jehovah, the soul that eateth shall be cut off from his peoples.
 26And ye shall eat no blood of fowl or beast, in any of your dwellings.
 27Whatever soul [it be] that eateth any manner of blood shall be cut off from his peoples. (Lev. 7:23‑27)
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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 eateth the blood, and I 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 atone for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul.
 12Therefore have I said to 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 that sojourn among them, that catcheth in the hunt a beast or fowl which 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 to the children of Israel, Of the blood of no manner of flesh shall ye eat, for the life of all flesh is its blood: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. (Lev. 17:10‑14)
;
Deut. 12:16,23‑25• 16{i}Only, ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.{/i}
 23{i}Only, be sure that thou eat not the blood; for the blood is the life, and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh;{/i}
 24{i}thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water:{/i}
 25{i}thou 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.{/i} (Deut. 12:16,23‑25)
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Deut. 14:21• 21{i}Ye shall eat of no carcass; 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.{/i} (Deut. 14:21)
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Deut. 15:23• 23{i}Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof: thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.{/i} (Deut. 15:23)
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1 Sam. 14:32• 32{i}And 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.{/i} (1 Sam. 14:32)
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Ezek. 4:14• 14Then said I, Ah Lord Jehovah! 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 abominable flesh into my mouth. (Ezek. 4:14)
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Ezek. 33:25• 25Wherefore 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)
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1 Tim. 4:4‑5• 4Because every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be rejected when received with thanksgiving,
 5for it is sanctified through God's word and intercession. (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.