SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:25
Pero en cuanto a los que de los gentiles que han creído, nosotros hemos escrito haberse acordado que no guarden nada de esto; solamente que se abstengan de lo que fuere sacrificado a los ídolos, y de sangre, y de lo ahogado, y de fornicacin.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:25
Verse 25. As touching the Gentiles] See the notes on chap. xv. 1-21, and the additional observations at the end of that chapter.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 25. As touching the Gentiles which believe , etc.] This is said, to show that the Jews were not offended with Paul, for not insisting upon the circumcision of the believing Gentiles, and their conformity to the ceremonial law; and to remove an objection that Paul might make, that should he comply with this advice, and the believing Gentiles should hear of it, it might be a stumblingblock and a snare to them; who by his example, might think themselves obliged to regard the law: Bezas ancient copy adds, they have nothing to say to thee; for as it follows, we have written and concluded ; some years ago, at a meeting of the apostles, elders, and brethren at Jerusalem, when Paul was present; and of which he reminds him, to prevent any objection of this kind; where it was unanimously agreed on and determined, that they observe no such things ; as circumcision, and other rites and customs of the law, and particularly the vow of the Nazarite, which Gentiles are free from: hence it is said f1100 , ``Gentiles have no Nazariteship; upon which one of the commentators says f1101 , if a Gentile vows Nazariteship, the law of the Nazarite does not fall upon him, he is not obliged to it: save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols , etc. (see Acts 15:19,20,28,29).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-26 - Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did no envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not d more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believin Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it wa prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fon of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Pau preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preache Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and repentance and faith in which we are to make great use of the law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear, when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had not due regard to the most eminent ministe that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the succes with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem an affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselve to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be agains prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; an it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too muc in this matter. It is vain to attempt to court the favour of zealots or bigots to a party. This compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, an brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose tha was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity an uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincer compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.
Greek Textus Receptus
περι 4012 PREP δε 1161 CONJ των 3588 T-GPM πεπιστευκοτων 4100 5761 V-RAP-GPM εθνων 1484 N-GPN ημεις 2249 P-1NP επεστειλαμεν 1989 5656 V-AAI-1P κριναντες 2919 5660 V-AAP-NPM μηδεν 3367 A-ASN τοιουτον 5108 D-ASN τηρειν 5083 5721 V-PAN αυτους 846 P-APM ει 1487 COND μη 3361 PRT-N φυλασσεσθαι 5442 5733 V-PMN αυτους 846 P-APM το 3588 T-ASN τε 5037 PRT ειδωλοθυτον 1494 A-ASN και 2532 CONJ το 3588 T-ASN αιμα 129 N-ASN και 2532 CONJ πνικτον 4156 A-ASN και 2532 CONJ πορνειαν 4202 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
25. Blood. See on ch. xv. 29.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:25 {We wrote} (epesteilamen). First aorist active of epistellw, to send to and so to write like our epistle (epistole). Old verb, but in the N.T. only here and #Ac 15:20; Heb 13:22. It is the very word used by James in this "judgment" at the Conference (#Ac 15:20, episteilai). B D here read apesteilamen from apostellw, to send away, to give orders. Wendt and Schuerer object to this as a gloss. Rather is it an explanation by James that he does not refer to the Gentile Christians whose freedom from the Mosaic ceremonial law was guaranteed at the Jerusalem Conference. James himself presided at that Conference and offered the resolution that was unanimously adopted. James stands by that agreement and repeats the main items (four: anything sacrificed to idols, blood, anything strangled, fornication, for discussion see #Ac 15) from which they are to keep themselves (direct middle fulassesqai of fulassw, indirect command after krinantes with accusative, autous, of general reference). James has thus again cleared the air about the Gentiles who have believed (pepisteukotwn, perfect active participle genitive plural of pisteuw). He asks that Paul will stand by the right of Jewish Christians to keep on observing the Mosaic law. He has put the case squarely and fairly.
