Acts 15:20 Meaning and Explanation
“But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →James proposes a letter asking the Gentile believers to abstain from the defilements of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood.
What Does Acts 15:20 Mean?
James proposes writing to the Gentile churches with four abstentions: pollutions of idols, fornication, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. Each touched the daily fabric of pagan life — temple feasts, loose morals, and food practices abhorrent to their Jewish neighbors.
Freedom from the yoke of the law is not freedom for idolatry or impurity; turning to God means leaving the table of idols. And several of these requests guard fellowship: Gentile believers are asked to lay aside practices that would keep Jewish believers from sharing a meal with them. Liberty in Christ gladly limits itself for the sake of holiness and for the conscience of a brother — a pattern Paul will later teach at length (1 Corinthians 8-10).
Acts 15:20 in the Original Language
alisgema (ἀλίσγημα), 'pollutions' -- defilement or contamination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 15:20
What does Acts 15:20 mean?
James proposes a letter asking the Gentile believers to abstain from the defilements of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood.