²⁰ but should write to them ^(A)to abstain from ^(B)the things polluted by idols, and from ^(C)sexual immorality, and from ^(D)what has been strangled, and from ^(E)blood.

^29 (A)that you abstain from ^(B)what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman ^(A)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants ^(B)to practice sexual immorality and ^(C)to eat food sacrificed to idols.

¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of ^(A)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might ^(B)eat food sacrificed to idols and ^(C)practice sexual immorality.

¹⁷ It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither ^(A)fat nor ^(B)blood.”

⁴ But you shall not eat flesh with its ^(A)life, that is, its blood.

⁴ Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^(A)“an idol has no real existence,” and that ^(B)“there is no God but one.” ⁵ For although there may be ^(C)so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶ yet ^(D)for us there is one God, the Father, ^(E)from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and ^(F)one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and ^(G)through whom we exist.

⁷ However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^(H)through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^(I)their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ^8 (J)Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹ But take care ^(K)that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block ^(L)to the weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating^[a] in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,^[b] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^(M)destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² Thus, sinning against your brothers^[c] and ^(N)wounding their conscience when it is weak, ^(O)you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, ^(P)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

²⁵ But as for the Gentiles who have believed, ^(A)we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,^[a] and from sexual immorality.”

^7 (A)Do not be idolaters ^(B)as some of them were; as it is written, ^(C)“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” ^8 (D)We must not indulge in sexual immorality ^(E)as some of them did, and ^(F)twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.