Acts 15:20

Acts 15:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
• New International Version (NIV)Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
• New King James Version (NKJV)but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.

Context of Acts 15:20

18He is the one who will do these things that have always been known!’ 19“So I’ve decided that we shouldn’t trouble non-Jewish people who are turning to God. 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. 21After all, Moses’ words have been spread to every city for generations. His teachings are read in synagogues on every day of rest—a holy day.” 22Then the apostles, the spiritual leaders, and the whole church decided to choose some of their men to send with Paul and Barnabas to the city of Antioch. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, who were leaders among the believers.

Acts 15:20 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• that we writeἐπιστέλλωepistellō · to write toG1989
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• that they abstainἀπέχωapechō · to have in fullG568
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• pollutionsἀλίσγημαalisgema · defilementG234
• of idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
• things strangledπνικτόςpniktos · strangledG4156
• bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129

Cross-references for Acts 15:20

• Acts 15:29by keeping away from food sacrificed to false gods, from eating bloody meat, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual sins. If you avoid these things, you will be doing what’s right. Farewell!
• Genesis 35:2So Jacob said to his family and those who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods which you have, wash yourselves until you are ritually clean, and change your clothes.
• Exodus 20:3“Never have any other god.
• Exodus 34:15Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in that land. When they chase after their gods as though they were prostitutes and sacrifice to them, they may invite you to eat the meat from their sacrifices with them.
• Numbers 25:2who invited the people to the sacrifices offered to their gods. The people ate the meat from the sacrifices and worshiped these gods.
• Psalms 106:37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
• Ezekiel 20:30“Tell the nation of Israel, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute?
• 1 Corinthians 8:1Now, concerning food offered to false gods: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds them up.
• 1 Corinthians 10:20Hardly! What I am saying is that these sacrifices which people make are made to demons and not to God. I don’t want you to be partners with demons.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you: You have among you those who follow what Balaam taught Balak. Balak trapped the people of Israel by ⌞encouraging⌟ them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to sin sexually.
• Revelation 9:20The people who survived these plagues still did not turn to me and change the way they were thinking and acting. If they had, they would have stopped worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.
• Revelation 10:2He held a small, opened scroll in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
• 1 Corinthians 5:11Now, what I meant was that you should not associate with people who call themselves brothers or sisters in the Christian faith but live in sexual sin, are greedy, worship false gods, use abusive language, get drunk, or are dishonest. Don’t eat with such people.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
• 1 Corinthians 7:2But in order to avoid sexual sins, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
• 2 Corinthians 12:21I’m afraid that when I come to you again, my God may humble me. I may have to grieve over many who formerly led sinful lives and have not changed the way they think and act about the perversion, sexual sins, and promiscuity in which they have been involved.

Commentaries on Acts 15:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But that we write unto them - Four things are prohibited in this decree: Pollutions of idols; fornication; things strangled; blood. By the first, Pollutions of Idols, or, as it is in Acts 15:25, meats offered to idols, not only all idolatry was forbidden, but eating things offered in sacrifice to idols, knowing that they were thus offered, and joining with idolaters in their sacred feasts, which were always an incentive either to idolatry itself, or to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20That we write unto them - Expressing our judgment, or our views of the case. That they abstain - That they refrain from these things, or wholly avoid them. Pollutions of idols - The word rendered “pollutions” means any kind of “defilement.” But here it is evidently used to denote the flesh of those animals that were offered in sacrifice to idols. See Acts 15:29. That flesh, after being offered in sacrifice, was often exposed for sale in the markets, or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-21Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Eating food offered to idols is sinful when it involves active participation in idol worship (see Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8; Revelation 2:14, 20). However, Paul teaches that eating such food is not always wrong in itself. The concern is whether eating causes a fellow believer with a weak conscience to sin (1 Corinthians 8:4–13). Paul also warns against eating at a pagan temple, since that amounts to sharing in idol worship. But he permits eating food…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. But ... that they abstain from pollutions of idols--that is, things polluted by having been offered in sacrifice to idols. The heathen were accustomed to give away or sell portions of such animals. From such food James would enjoin the Gentile converts to abstain, lest it should seem to the Jews that they were not entirely weaned from idolatry. and from fornication--The characteristic sin of heathendom, unblushingly practiced by all ranks and classes…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 15:20

• Adultery
• Antioch
• Blood
• Catholicity
• Chastity
• Church
• Circumcision
• Council
• Doctrines
• Elder
• Gentiles
• Idolatry
• James
• Law
• Strangled
• Titus

In the dictionaries

• Abstain
• Cause
• Choice
• Consider
• Conversion
• Council
• Declare
• Dissension
• Galatians, Epistle to
• James

Commentaries on Acts 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings