NEW TESTAMENT

Agabus. A prophet from Judaea who foretold a great dearth, and bound his own hands and feet with Paul’s girdle.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“A certain prophet, named Agabus” (Acts 21:10)

ERA

New Testament AD 1–60

IN THE DAYS OF

Claudius

BOOK

None bears the name

HOW THE WORD CAME

He came with other prophets “from Jerusalem unto Antioch”, stood up, and “signified by the Spirit”.

THE CALL

How the word came

  • He came with other prophets “from Jerusalem unto Antioch”, stood up, and “signified by the Spirit”. Acts 11:27–28
  • In Acts 21 “a certain prophet, named Agabus” “came down from Judæa” to Caesarea, took Paul’s girdle, bound his own hands and feet, and spoke with the words “Thus saith the Holy Ghost”. Acts 21:10–11
  • From the textActs tells no call and gives him no home town beyond these journeys. Acts 11:27–28 Acts 21:10

BEFORE THE RULERS

Before Claudius

ROMAN EMPEROR

Claudius

“which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar.”

Acts 11:28 (KJV) →

THE MESSAGE

The word in its main themes

A great dearth

“there should be great dearth throughout all the world:”

Acts 11:28 (KJV) →

Bonds at Jerusalem

“Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”

Acts 21:11 (KJV) →

THE WORD TO …

To whom the word was spoken

TO THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH

“there should be great dearth throughout all the world:”

Acts 11:28 (KJV) →

TO PAUL, AT CAESAREA

“So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”

Acts 21:11 (KJV) →

SIGNS

The word acted out

SIGN-ACT

Paul’s girdle

WHAT CAME OF THE WORD

As Scripture reports it

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

COMPANIONS AND OPPONENTS

Who stood with him, and against him

Paul

Barnabas

Philip the evangelist

The prophets from Jerusalem

HOW THE STORY ENDS

Scripture says, tradition says

SCRIPTURE SAYS

  • From the textActs names him no more after Caesarea. Scripture gives no account of his death. Acts 21:10–11

TRADITION SAYS

  • A list of the Seventy, printed under Hippolytus' name among the “dubious and spurious pieces” in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, has “Agabus the prophet” at number 32.[9] Who says so: “On the Seventy Apostles”, ascribed to Hippolytus (printed as dubious or spurious), date not known

OPEN QUESTIONS

Where readers have differed

The same man

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown (1871); H. A. W. Meyer (English 1877–1879); John Gill (1746–1748)

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown: “no doubt the same as in Ac 11:28”; Meyer sees “no reason against” it; Gill reckons sixteen or seventeen years between the two scenes. Acts 11:28 Acts 21:10 [78][79][80]

Acts does not say

From the text

Acts 21:10 brings him in as “a certain prophet, named Agabus”, without referring back to Acts 11. The site’s person record joins the two. Acts 21:10

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 2

Acts 11 Acts 21

PASSAGES · 2

Acts 11:27–30 Acts 21:8–15

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Acts does not say that the Agabus of Acts 21 is the Agabus of Acts 11. This page follows the site’s person record, which joins them, as many commentators do (see the open question).
  • Acts does not say in so many words that the girdle word was fulfilled; it tells what happened at Jerusalem without referring back to it.
  • Scripture gives no family, home town or death for Agabus.

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • A. Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (International Critical Commentary) (1896), on Luke 3:1, pp. 81-84.
  • W. M. Ramsay, Was Christ Born at Bethlehem? A Study on the Credibility of St. Luke (1898), ch. XI, pp. 227-245.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Notes on Luke 2:2 and 3:1 (about 1880), read on Bible Hub.
  • Origen, tr. Allan Menzies, Commentary on the Gospel of John, book 6 (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9) (1896), 6.24.
  • Jerome, tr. W. H. Fremantle, G. Lewis and W. G. Martley, Letter 108, to Eustochium (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 6) (1893), 108.13; the translators date the letter to AD 404.
  • Theodoret, tr. Blomfield Jackson, Ecclesiastical History, book 3 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 3) (1892), 3.3.
  • tr. Alexander Walker, The Protevangelium of James (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8) (1886), chs. 22–24.
  • The Catholic Encyclopedia, "Apocrypha", vol. 1 (1907), section on the Protoevangelium Jacobi.
  • tr. J. H. MacMahon, "The Same Hippolytus on the Seventy Apostles", in the appendix of "dubious and spurious pieces" printed with the works of Hippolytus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5) (1886), nos. 32 and 44 (New Advent titles its page "Pseudo-Hippolytus").
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 3:4 (about 1878), note on Matthew 3:4; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Matthew 3:4; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 11:3 (about 1878), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. B. Bruce, The Expositor's Greek Testament: Matthew (1897), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Carr, The Gospel according to St Matthew (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1878), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Matthew (1880–1897), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 17:11 (about 1878), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew (English translation) (1879), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Matthew (1880–1897), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Mark 1:2 (about 1878), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Mark (1880–1897), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Luke 2:25 (about 1878), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospels of Mark and Luke (English translation) (1880), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • F. W. Farrar, The Gospel according to St Luke (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Luke 2:37 (about 1878), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. B. Bruce, The Expositor's Greek Testament: Luke (1897), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. W. Watkins, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on John 1:28 (about 1879), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St John (1880–1897), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 11:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Acts 13:1 (about 1880), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. C. Hervey, Acts (Pulpit Commentary) (1884), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Acts 15:22 (about 1880), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 15:34; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 15:34; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.

Rooted in Scripture. Open for discovery.

A place to read slowly, ask deeply, and follow the connections. Scripture, study and the voices of Christian history, brought together for a lifetime of learning.

SPEND TIME IN THE WORD

  • Open the reader
  • Books & reading progress
  • Compare Scripture editions
  • Find a passage

FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS

  • Study collections
  • People & places
  • Faith & apologetics
  • Stories of faith

A library with a paper trail.

Meet the authors. Explore the collection. Trace each work to its source.

Download the code.

Open source on GitHub.