Acts 15:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

From pollutions

Things

Bible References

From pollutions

You should abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these you will do well. Farwell (best wishes).

Jacob said to his family and those who were with him: Get rid of the foreign gods that you have. Wash yourselves until you are ritually clean. Change your clothes.

Do not have any other god.

Otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land. They would commit spiritual immorality (fornication) with their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice.

The Moabites invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods.

They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.

Tell the nation of Israel: 'This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute?

Concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

But I say, that the things that the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

I have a few things against you: you have people there who hold to the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to present a snare to the sons of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices and commit fornication.

The rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

He held a little book that lay open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the earth.

Things

Concerning those of the nations who have believed, we write: they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.

You must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.

This is a long lasting law for generations to come wherever you live. Never eat any fat or blood.'

Tell the Israelites: 'Never eat any fat from bulls, sheep, or goats.

If Israelites or foreigners eat any blood, I will condemn them and exclude them from the people.

Never eat the blood. Pour it on the ground like water.

Do not eat anything that dies by itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it. You may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Do not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

Do not eat its blood! Pour it out on the ground like water.

They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood.

But I replied: No, O Lord Jehovah! I have never defiled myself. From childhood on I have never eaten meat from any animal that died a natural death or was killed by wild animals. I have never eaten any food considered unclean.

Tell them: 'The Lord Jehovah says: You eat meat with blood in it. You look to your idols for help. You murder people. Should the land be given to you?

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.