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Greek Lessons
- Verbal Aspect in New Testament Greek: Imperfective vs. Perfective
- Chiasmus, Inclusio, and Anaphora in New Testament Greek
- Numbered and Named: Genitive Constructions and Enumerated Tribes in Revelation 7:7
- Semantic Range of Greek Verbs in the New Testament: A Case Study on ἀγαπάω and φιλέω
- Released to Serve Anew: Aorist Passives, Participles, and the Tension of Transformation in Romans 7:6
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Category
Tag Archives: Acts 21:25
Unity Without Burden: Apostolic Discernment and Gentile Boundaries in Acts 21:25
This verse revisits the apostolic decree issued earlier at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), reaffirming the instructions for Gentile believers amidst rising tensions in Judea. Paul is returning to Jerusalem where accusations swirl about his stance on Torah observance. The elders, seeking peace, reference the previous agreement: while Jewish believers may continue to observe the law, Gentile believers are not required to do so. This single sentence encapsulates both the theological maturity and political sensitivity of the early Church.
Structural AnalysisThe structure unfolds in a cause-effect form:
περὶ δὲ τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐθνῶν ἡμεῖς ἐπεστείλαμεν κρίναντες μηδὲν τοιοῦτον τηρεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰ μὴ φυλάσσεσθαι αὐτοὺς τό τε εἰδωλόθυτον καὶ τὸ αἷμα καὶ πνικτὸν καὶ πορνείαν
The main verb ἐπεστείλαμεν (“we wrote/commanded”) is qualified by κρίναντες (“having judged/decided”), which introduces the rationale.… Learn Koine Greek