Acts 15:29

29 [that you] abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. [If you] keep yourselves from {these things} you will do well. Farewell.

Acts 15:29 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 15:29

That ye abstain from meats offered to idols
Which explains what is meant by pollutions of idols, ( Acts 15:20 )

and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication
(See Gill on Acts 15:20)

In Beza's most ancient copy, and in three other manuscripts, and in the Complutensian edition, it follows, "and whatsoever ye would not have done to yourselves, that do ye not to another"; in like manner the Ethiopic version also reads, as in ( Acts 15:20 ) "from which if ye keep yourselves ye shall do well"; it will be doing a good thing, and make for the peace of the churches; in Beza's most ancient copy it is added, "born", or "moved by the Holy Ghost": being influenced and assisted by him in this, and every good work:

fare ye well;
the Syriac version adds, "in our Lord".

Acts 15:29 In-Context

27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will report the same [things] by word of mouth.

28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us to place on you no greater burden except these necessary things:

29 [that you] abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. [If you] keep yourselves from {these things} you will do well. Farewell.

30 So [when] they were sent off, they came down to Antioch, and [after] calling together the community, they delivered the letter.

31 And [when they] read [it] aloud, they rejoiced at the encouragement.

Footnotes

• [a] *Here "[if]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("keep") which is understood as conditional
• [b] Literally "which things"