20
butἀλλὰshouldwriteἐπιστεῖλαιto themαὐτοῖςto abstainτοῦ ἀπέχεσθαιfrom the pollutionsτῶν ἀλισγημάτωνof idolsτῶν εἰδώλωνandκαὶfrom sexual immoralityτῆς πορνείαςandκαὶfrom what is strangledτοῦ πνικτοῦandκαὶfrom blood.τοῦ αἵματος
Acts 15:20
Study it in the app“but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood.”
With the Greek beneath
Acts 15:20, word by word
- writeἐπιστεῖλαιepisteilai
write, send word
Write a letter, send a message.
Where else “episteilai” appears- to abstainἀπέχεσθαιapechesthai
abstain
To keep away from something.
Where else “apechesthai” appears- from the pollutionsἀλισγημάτωνalisgēmatōn
pollution
Pollution, what makes one ritually impure.
Where else “alisgēmatōn” appears- of idolsεἰδώλωνeidōlōn
idol
Idol, image of a false god.
Where else “eidōlōn” appears- from sexual immoralityπορνείαςporneias
sexual immorality
Having sex outside marriage.
Where else “porneias” appears- from what is strangledπνικτοῦpniktou
strangled
Strangled: an animal killed without draining its blood.
Where else “pniktou” appears- from bloodαἵματοςhaimatos
blood
The red fluid that runs through the bodies of people and animals.
Where else “haimatos” appears
Translation note
The four prohibitions can be related to those of Leviticus 17-18 for the foreigners who lived in Israel: the pollutions of idols, forbidden unions, what is strangled (pniktos, that is, not drained of blood), and blood.
The context
19Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the nations who are turning to God,
20 · This verse (above)
21For Moses, from ancient generations, has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
To study Acts 15 in a group
1. What it says
What disagreement arose in Antioch, and whom did they send to Jerusalem to deal with it? (vv. 1-2)
2. What it means
How did the apostles and elders reach a decision? Who spoke, and what weighed in it? (vv. 6-22)
3. How I live it
They listened to everyone before deciding (vv. 7, 12). How can you listen better to someone you disagree with?