Acts 15:20 Cross References - Williams

²⁰ but we should write them to abstain from everything that is contaminated by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from tasting blood.

²⁹ that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."

²⁵ As for the heathen who have become believers, we have sent them our resolution that they must avoid anything that is contaminated by idols, the tasting of blood, the meat of strangled animals, and sexual immorality."

¹¹ Now what I really meant was for you to stop associating with any so-called brother, if he is sexually immoral, a greedy grasper, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler -- with such a person you must even stop eating.

⁹ Do you not know that wrongdoers will not have a share in the kingdom of God? Stop being misled; people who are sexually immoral or idolaters or adulterers or sensual or guilty of unnatural sexual vice

¹³ Foods are intended for the stomach, and the stomach for foods, but God will finally put a stop to both of them. The body is not intended for sexual immorality but for the service of the Lord, and the Lord is for the body to serve.

¹⁸ Keep on running from sexual immorality! Any other sin that a man commits is one outside his body, but the man who commits the sexual sin is sinning against his own body.

² but because of so much sexual immorality every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman a husband of her own.

¹ Now about the foods that have been sacrificed to idols: We know that every one of us has some knowledge of the matter. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

⁴ So, as to eating things that have been sacrificed to idols, we are sure that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but One. ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods in heaven or on earth -- as there are, indeed, a vast number of gods and lords -- ⁶ yet for us there is but one God, the Father, who is the source of all things and the goal of our living, and but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made and through whom we live. ⁷ But it is not in all of you that such knowledge is found. Some, because of their past habits with idols, even down to the present moment, still eat such food as was really sacrificed to an idol, and so their consciences, because they are overscrupulous, are contaminated. ⁸ Food will never bring us near to God. We are no worse if we do not eat it; we are no better if we do. ⁹ But you must see to it that this right of yours does not become a stumbling block to overscrupulous people. ¹⁰ For if somebody sees you, who have an intelligent view of this matter, partaking of a meal in an idol's temple, will he not be emboldened, with his overscrupulous conscience, to eat the food which has been sacrificed to an idol? ¹¹ Yes, the overscrupulous brother, for whom Christ died, is ruined by your so-called knowledge. ¹² Now if in such a way you sin against your brothers and wound their overscrupulous consciences, you are actually sinning against Christ. ¹³ So then, if food can make my brother fall, I will never, no, never, eat meat again, in order to keep my brother from falling.

⁷ Now stop being idolaters, as some of them were, for the Scripture says, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to dance." ⁸ Let us stop practicing immorality, as some of them did, and on one day twenty-three thousand fell dead.

¹⁴ So then, my dearly beloved, keep on running from idolatry. ¹⁵ I am speaking to sensible men; decide for yourselves about what I say. ¹⁶ Is not the consecrated cup which we consecrate a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the loaf which we break a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is only one loaf, so we, though many, are only one body, for we all partake of one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at the Israelites in their practices. Are not those who eat the sacrifices in spiritual fellowship with the altar? ¹⁹ Then what do I mean? That the sacrifice to an idol is a reality, or that an idol itself is a reality? Of course not! ²⁰ I mean that what the heathen sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be in fellowship with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot eat at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. ²² Or, are we trying to incite the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? ²³ Everything is permissible for people, but not everything is good for them. Everything is permissible for people, but not everything builds up their personality. ²⁴ No one should always be looking after his own welfare, but also that of his neighbor. ²⁵ As a rule eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question about it for conscience' sake, ²⁶ for the earth and everything that it contains belong to the Lord. ²⁷ If some unbelieving heathen invites you to his house, and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question for conscience' sake. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, "This meat has been offered as a heathen sacrifice," make it your rule not to eat it, for the sake of the man who warned you and for conscience' sake;

²¹ and that when I come back my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over some of those who formerly have committed shocking sins, and have not repented for them -- their impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality, which once they practiced.

¹⁹ Now the practices of the lower nature are clear enough: Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

³ But sexual vice and any form of immorality or sensual greed must not so much as be mentioned among you, as that is the only course becoming in God's people;

⁵ So once for all put to death your lower, earthly nature with respect to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is real idolatry.

³ For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality, ⁴ For everything in God's creation is good, and nothing is to be refused, provided it is accepted with thanksgiving; ⁵ for in this way it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

¹⁶ some immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

⁴ Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage relations kept sacred. Persons who are sexually vicious and immoral God will punish.

³ For the time that is past is enough for you to have accomplished what the heathen like to do, leading lives that are steeped in sensuality, lustful desires, drunkenness, carousing, revelry, dissipation, and idolatry that leads to lawlessness,

¹⁴ Yet I hold it somewhat against you that you have among you some who are clinging to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to set a trap for the children of Israel, to entice them to eat the meat that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit immoral practices.

²⁰ But I hold it against you that you are tolerating that Jezebel of a woman who claims to be a prophetess, and by her teaching is misleading my slaves to practice immorality and to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols.

²⁰ But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works their hands had done, so as to give up worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot either see or hear or move;

² and he had a little book open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,

⁸ Then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to me again, and said, "Go and take the little book that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."