Acts 15:29 Cross References - JMNT

²⁹ "to habitually abstain and hold yourselves away from idol sacrifices (or: things [i.e., foods] sacrificed to idols) and from blood, and from things that were strangled, and from sexual immorality (fornication; prostitution; = infidelity) – out from which things, by practice carefully keeping and habitually thoroughly guarding yourselves, you folks will perform well (be well-engaged; prosper) [D reads: and whatever you do not normally wish or purpose for yourselves to progressively become or to have happen, do not keep on doing to other folks, {and} from which things in continuously keeping yourselves thoroughly {away}, commit acts of ease and well-being, being folks constantly carried along within the set-apart Breath-effect (or: the holy wind; the Holy Spirit)]. Be ones having been strengthened and made firm (or: = Good health to you)!"

⁶¹ So a different person also said, "I will be following You, Lord, but first allow (or: permit) me to at once make arrangements (or: set things off in order) for myself, [going] unto my household so as to detach myself and say good-by to the people at home."

²⁰ "however (or: but yet), to send word by a letter for them to be habitually holding themselves away from (constantly abstaining from) the effects of ceremonial pollution from (or: belonging and pertaining to) the idols – as well as from the prostitution ([note: may also have reference to temple idol worship]; or: sexual immorality; [p45 omits this phrase]) – and from [something that was] strangled [i.e., where the blood was not drained out], also from blood [comment: these were prohibitions from the Law, in Lev. 17 & 18; D adds: Also, whatever you would not normally want to be happening to yourselves, do not do to others].

²¹ but rather, upon arranging for himself to be off (or: away) while saying good-bye and saying, " [D and others add: Now it continues binding for me to by all means do (or: perform) the feast – the one periodically coming into Jerusalem, but] I will proceed coming back again to you folks, God's continuing in willing and intending [it]," he set sail from Ephesus.

²⁵ "Now concerning those of [the] ethnic multitudes (or: nations; non-Jews) [who] have believed and now trust, [D adds: they presently having nothing to say to you, for you see,] we ourselves sent forth a letter which we wrote, deciding and giving our judgment for them to be constantly guarding themselves against (= habitually avoid and abstain from) both idol sacrifices (or: meat sacrificed to idols) and blood, as well as something that was strangled [i.e., so the blood was not drained out], and also sexual impurity (or: unchastity; fornication; prostitution; infidelity)."

³⁰ Now with it having been divulged to me [that] there will be a plot against the man, I at that very hour sent [him] to you, also commanding the accusers to be speaking those things against him in your presence. Be strong and in good health (= Farewell)."

¹⁴ I have seen to know (or: have perceived), and I have been persuaded and now stand convinced, within [the] Lord Jesus, that nothing (not one thing) [is] common (ceremonially defiled; unclean; contaminating; = the opposite of set-apart or holy) through itself, except to (in; by; for) the person considering (or: logically accounting and reckoning) anything to be common (defiled; contaminating); to (for; in; by) that one [it is] common and unclean. ¹⁵ For instance, if because of solid food (or: the effect of something eaten) your brother is continually made sad (made sorry, distressed or grieved), you are no longer continuing to walk about (= living your life) in accord with (or: down from and on the level of) Love (or: you are not yet habitually walking [your path] in participation with transcendent unity of unambiguous, uniting acceptance toward others). Do not, by your food (or: for your solid food), progressively destroy away (lose by ruining; bring to loss) that person over whom Christ died.

²⁰ Stop tearing down (dissolving; loosing down; demolishing) God's work for the sake of solid food (or: on account of the effect of what is eaten). Indeed, all things [are] clean (= ceremonially pure; [Aleph2 adds: to the clean ones]), but on the other hand, [it is] bad (harmful; unsound; base; wicked; evil; not as ought to be) for (or: to; in; with) the person who by habitually eating [experiences] an effect of [or causes] stumbling through it. ²¹ [It is] beautiful (fine; as it ought to be; profitable; ideal) not to eat meat (animal flesh), neither to drink wine, nor even that in which your brother habitually stumbles (strikes himself against [it]), or is being constantly snared, or is continually weak.

¹⁸ Take an extended look at Israel, according to [the] flesh, and be observing [their cultural situation]: are not those habitually eating the things sacrificed common-beings of the altar (partners, partakers and ones who share common participation pertaining to the altar)? ¹⁹ What, then, am I now meaning and affirming? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything? Or, that an idol is anything (= something more than an idol)? ²⁰ To the contrary (or: Not at all!): that which the multitudes of ethnic groups (the nations; the pagans; the Gentiles) habitually sacrifice, they continue sacrificing to, for or by demons (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influences), and not to, for or by God (or: even to or by a non-god, or a no-god), and I am not intending for (willing; wanting) you folks to proceed to becoming partakers of and thus common-beings with the demons (= partners and ones who share common participation pertaining to the animistic influences [possibly: = evil or deranged spirits, mental conditions or attitudes]).

⁹ Further, being present and facing you, and being put in need (being made to lack and fall short of means), I was not a "dead weight" on (= an idle encumbrance, hence, a financial burden to) even one person, for the brothers (= fellow believers) coming from Macedonia replenished the lacks resulting from my being in need, and in everything I kept and shall continue keeping myself "weight-free" to (= free from being a burden for) you folks.

¹¹ As to the rest, brothers (= fellow believers and members – family), be habitually rejoicing (or: be progressively happy); be continuously adjusted so as to be completely equipped and fully made ready while being thoroughly knitted together into perfect unity; be repeatedly called alongside to give or be given aid, relief, comfort and encouragement; constantly mind the same thing and agree, being of the same opinion (have the same frame of mind and be mutually disposed); continuously dwell in and with peace (be at and keep peace; be in and cultivate harmony; live in [shalom]) – and the God of the Love and Peace (or: the God Who is the urge toward reunion and harmony) will continue being with you folks.

²² In practice, place (or: lay) your hands quickly upon no one, neither be habitually having common existence with, partnering with, participating in or sharing in common in the failures (errors; sins; misses of the target; deviations from the goal) belonging to other folks. Constantly keep yourself pure (or: Make it a habit to watch over and guard so as to preserve yourself with propriety).

²⁷ Pure (clean) and unstained (undefiled) religion, by the side of (= in the presence of) God, even the Father, is this: to habitually visit so as to continuously look upon with the eyes in order to help (or: oversee) orphans and widows within the midst of their pressure (squeezing; distress; ordeal; tribulation); to habitually keep oneself unspotted from the controlling ordered System (or: the world of secular culture, religion, economy and government).

²¹ Little children (born ones) keep yourselves in custody (or: guarded)! – away from the idols (the external appearances; the forms; or: = false concepts)! [written circa A.D. 60-65 – Based on the critical analysis of John A.T. Robinson]

²⁰ But you, dearly loved ones, while constantly and progressively building yourselves up by your most holy trust and with you people's most sacred, convinced loyalty (or: in y'alls' most set-apart faith), [and] continuously thinking, speaking and acting toward having well-being and things going well (or: praying) within the midst of a set-apart Breath-effect (or: in union with [the] Holy Spirit; centered in a separated and consecrated attitude and life-force), ²¹ maintain (guard; keep watch over; protect) yourselves in God's love (or: in union with [the] urge toward reunion and unambiguous acceptance, which is God), being folks in the habit of welcomingly receiving, embracing and entertaining the mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ, on into a life having the qualities and characteristics of the Age (or: a life pertaining to the ages; eonian life; life for the ages; life whose source is the Age [of Messiah]).

²⁴ Now in and by (or: with; to) Him being powerful and able to keep and guard you folks from stumbling (or: tripping) and from harm, and then to stand you flawless and blameless (or: unblemished; without defect or stain) in the presence of His glory (or: down in sight of the manifestation of Him which calls forth praise and yields a good opinion and reputation; or: down in the center of a view of the glory which is Him) in extreme joy (in the center of a much-jumping exultation; in union with body-moving celebration).

¹⁴ But still I am holding down a few things against you: you have there those continuously strong to be retaining the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to thrust a snare in the sight of the sons of Israel to eat things offered to forms (or: sacrificed to idols), and thus, to commit prostitution (= idolatry).

²⁰ but still, I continue holding (having) much down against you, because you are constantly letting-off (tolerating; allowing; pardoning) your wife [other MSS: the woman] Jezebel – she is habitually calling herself a prophetess – and she is continually teaching and deceiving (seducing) My slaves to practice prostitution (adultery; fornication) and (or: that is,) to eat things sacrificed to idols (things offered to forms and outward appearances).