21:25a
In 21:25, the elders spoke again of the rules in the letter to Gentile believers (15:23–29). Paul already knew these rules (15:25). They probably mentioned them again to indicate that they still supported those instructions.
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate or imply that Paul did not know of these rules. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Indicate in your translation that he knew them. For example:
⌊As you know⌋…
• Explain it in a footnote that he knew them. An example footnote is:
Paul already knew these rules (15:25).
As for the Gentile believers: In the previous two verses, the elders spoke concerning Jews who believed in Jesus. Now they spoke concerning non-Jews who believed in Jesus. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
About the gentiles who have become believers (New Jerusalem Bible)
There is implied contrast between how people expected the Jewish believers to behave and how they expected the Gentile believers to behave. Some English versions indicate the contrast. For example:
But as for the Gentiles who have believed (Revised Standard Version)
we: It is difficult to know whether the elders included Paul here or not. Paul was at the meeting where they decided what to tell Gentile believers. But he probably did not help write the letter.
have written to them our decision:
This phrase refers to the letter that the Jerusalem council sent (15:23–29). The letter went first to the church at Antioch. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
wrote, having decided that (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
have sent them a letter telling them we decided that (Good News Translation)
-or-
these only are the commands that we wrote them that they need to obey
have written: The elders wrote this letter and sent it nine or ten years earlier. Your translation should indicate or imply that they wrote the letter earlier and not at this time.
Some languages must indicate this meaning with a time word or phrase. For example:
wrote earlier
-or-
wrote some years ago
21:25b
food sacrificed to idols: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as food sacrificed to idols refers to food given to the priests at pagan temples. The priests would kill the animals and cook the meat and other food. Then they would share it with those worshiping the pagan deity. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
food that has been offered to idols (Good News Translation)
-or-
what has been sacrificed to idols (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
food that has been used in worship of idols
-or-
food that people have sacrificed to idols
See how you translated this phrase in 15:29.
idols: An “idol” is a statue or other physical representation of a god. People bow down in front of the idol to worship that god. See how you translated this word in 15:20.
21:25c
from blood: The law of Moses also prohibited drinking blood or eating food made with blood in it. This practice also offended Jewish believers. Other ways to translate this word are:
not to eat…any blood (Good News Translation)
-or-
from consuming blood (New Living Translation (2004))
See how you translated this phrase in 15:20.
the meat of strangled animals: At that time Gentiles sometimes strangled the animal and cooked it with the blood still in it. In some languages the implied information about cooking it with the blood still in it may not be clear. If that is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information. For example:
the meat of animals which were strangled ⌊and cooked without draining the blood⌋
See how you translated this phrase in 15:20.
The law of Moses prohibited doing this. This practice offended Jewish believers. In some languages the reason for this rule is not clear. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Cooking and eating meat with the blood still in it was forbidden by the law of Moses.
21:25d
sexual immorality:
This phrase refers to any kind of sexual activities outside of marriage. In some cultures, people use a euphemism for this meaning. For example:
sleep/lie with someone who was not their spouse
-or-
do wrong with someone who was not that person’s spouse
See how you translated this phrase in 15:20.
General Comment on 21:25a–d
Some languages must use direct speech to report what is said in a letter. For example:
As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision in a letter saying:
‘You(plur) should abstain from eating food sacrificed to idols, from eating blood, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.’”
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