Acts 21:10 kjv
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
Acts 21:10 nkjv
And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Acts 21:10 niv
After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Acts 21:10 esv
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Acts 21:10 nlt
Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea.
Acts 21 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 11:28 | One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. This happened during the reign of Claudius. | Agabus's previous verified prophecy |
| Acts 20:22-23 | "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships await me." | Paul's prior awareness of impending suffering |
| Acts 9:16 | For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake. | Prophecy concerning Paul's suffering at his conversion |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." | Commission to bear witness, often implying suffering |
| Joel 2:28-29 | "And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people... Your sons and daughters will prophesy..." | OT prophecy fulfilled in Pentecost regarding prophecy |
| 1 Cor 12:10 | ...to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various kinds of tongues... | The gift of prophecy in the New Testament church |
| Eph 4:11 | So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers... | Prophecy as a recognized office in the church |
| Rev 1:9 | I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. | Suffering for testimony |
| Rom 8:17 | Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. | Suffering as part of Christian identity |
| Phil 3:10 | I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death... | Paul's embrace of suffering |
| Col 1:24 | Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. | Paul's perspective on redemptive suffering |
| Mt 16:21-23 | From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. | Christ's prophetic declaration of His own suffering |
| Lk 12:58 | As you go with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to settle with him on the way... | Context of legal proceedings and potential arrest |
| Is 49:7 | This is what the LORD says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation... | Prophetic suffering of God's chosen servant |
| Jer 20:2 | So Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet flogged and put him in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord’s Temple. | Suffering of OT prophets |
| Jer 1:5 | "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." | Divine appointment and foreknowledge of prophets |
| Num 12:6 | He said, "Listen to My words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal Myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams." | How God reveals to prophets in OT |
| Deut 18:21-22 | You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true... | Test for true prophets |
| Acts 21:4 | There we found some disciples and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. | Other Spirit-led warnings regarding Paul's journey |
| Acts 20:38 | ...they grieved most of all because of his statement that they would not see his face again. | The sorrow associated with Paul's impending departure and fate |
| Gal 2:10 | All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. | Paul's commitment to the poor in Jerusalem |
Acts 21 verses
Acts 21 10 Meaning
Acts 21:10 introduces a significant event during Paul's journey to Jerusalem, highlighting the arrival of Agabus, a prophet known from previous scriptural accounts. This verse sets the stage for a divine revelation regarding Paul's impending arrest and suffering, emphasizing that such future events were not unforeseen by the early Christian community and were understood as part of God's sovereign plan for Paul's mission. It underscores the active role of prophecy in the nascent church, validating the message to follow through a recognized spiritual gift.
Acts 21 10 Context
Acts chapter 21 chronicles the final stages of Paul's third missionary journey as he makes his determined, Spirit-guided return to Jerusalem. Despite multiple warnings from fellow believers and even the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:23; 21:4), Paul feels compelled to go, anticipating imprisonment and suffering for the sake of the gospel. His journey takes him through various cities, strengthening disciples and receiving further prophetic guidance. By Acts 21:7, he arrives in Caesarea and stays with Philip the evangelist, one of the seven deacons appointed in Acts 6. The "many days" spent in Caesarea (Acts 21:10) indicate a period of hospitality and fellowship before the crucial encounter with Agabus. This verse functions as a narrative pivot, introducing a specific and vivid prophecy that will reinforce Paul's conviction while also causing concern among his companions, directly leading into the central conflict of the next chapters—Paul's arrest and subsequent trials.
Acts 21 10 Word analysis
- And (de / δέ): A simple conjunction, often marking a continuation or slight transition. It connects the period of staying in Caesarea with the specific event of Agabus's arrival, signaling a development in the narrative.
- as we tarried (epimenontōn hēmōn / ἐπιμενόντων ἡμῶν): The phrase implies Paul and his companions (including Luke, indicated by "we") staying on, dwelling, or lingering in Caesarea. The imperfect tense in some manuscripts suggests a continuous or extended stay. The root meno (μένω) means to remain, abide, endure, emphasizing their settled, if temporary, presence.
- there many days (hēmeras pleious / ἡμέρας πλείους): Literally "more days" or "several days." The term highlights a significant, unquantified duration, not just a brief stopover. This extended stay provides the necessary timeframe for Agabus to travel from Judea and for the dramatic scene that follows to unfold. It builds anticipation for the upcoming event.
- there came down (katelthen / κατῆλθεν): Literally "he came down." This verb indicates movement from a higher geographical elevation to a lower one, which accurately describes traveling from Judea (especially Jerusalem, located on a plateau) to Caesarea (a coastal city). It emphasizes a purposeful journey rather than a chance encounter.
- from Judaea (apo tēs Ioudaias / ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας): Specifies the geographic origin. Judea was the central region of ancient Israel, and often specifically implies Jerusalem, the hub of religious and political life, including early Christianity. This context underscores the authenticity of Agabus as a prophet rooted in the early Jewish-Christian community.
- a certain prophet (tis prophētēs / τις προφήτης): "A certain" (tis) implies that he was a specific, perhaps well-known, individual within the early Christian community, though not needing further identification for Luke's immediate readers. "Prophet" (prophētēs / προφήτης) refers to someone who speaks for God, relaying divine messages, whether through foretelling future events (predictive prophecy) or forth-telling God's will (declarative prophecy). In the New Testament, prophecy was a recognized spiritual gift and ministry, confirming God's presence and direction. This term validates the authority of Agabus's upcoming message.
- named Agabus (onoma Agabos / ὄνομα Ἄγαβος): This direct identification is crucial. Agabus was previously introduced in Acts 11:28, where he accurately foretold a great famine during the reign of Claudius. His prior fulfilled prophecy establishes his credibility and ensures that his present message would be taken with utmost seriousness. This historical connection emphasizes Luke's careful narrative consistency and highlights Agabus as an established, respected figure among early believers.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "as we tarried there many days": This phrase establishes the temporal setting, emphasizing a significant duration in Caesarea. It suggests a period of rest and perhaps calm before the prophetic storm, highlighting that the revelation wasn't a rushed incident but part of a measured progression.
- "there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus": This entire phrase introduces a key figure and foreshadows a critical turn in Paul's journey. It highlights Agabus's legitimate prophetic authority by specifying his known identity and geographic origin (suggesting connection to the mother church in Jerusalem), making the ensuing prophecy indisputable to the narrative.
Acts 21 10 Bonus section
- Literary Foreshadowing: The detailed introduction of Agabus, referencing his previous prophetic fulfillment, intensifies the dramatic tension and anticipation of his coming message. It builds his authority for the reader, indicating the severity and certainty of the subsequent prophecy regarding Paul.
- God's Sovereignty vs. Human Agency: This verse, and the subsequent prophecy (Acts 21:11-14), perfectly illustrates the interplay of divine foreknowledge/sovereignty and human decision. God knows and reveals what will happen to Paul, yet Paul freely chooses to proceed, fulfilling the divine plan. The warnings, even Spirit-inspired ones, are not presented as mandates to prevent an event, but as forewarnings to prepare for it.
- The Nature of New Testament Prophecy: Agabus's action—a vivid, symbolic demonstration followed by a direct verbal explanation—is characteristic of Old Testament prophetic actions (e.g., Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1-17), highlighting continuity. This specific mode of delivery served to powerfully impress the gravity of the message upon the audience, showing that NT prophecy often incorporated OT forms.
- Caesarea as a Transition Point: Caesarea often functioned as a crucial port and administrative center, a crossroads where travel plans could be affirmed or altered. It fittingly becomes the site for this significant prophetic intervention before Paul takes the final leg of his journey to Jerusalem, highlighting its strategic importance in the narrative.
Acts 21 10 Commentary
Acts 21:10 serves as a pivotal scene setter, injecting prophetic urgency into Paul's deliberate path to Jerusalem. The extended stay in Caesarea, led by the Spirit, seems designed to allow this specific divine warning through Agabus. Agabus's previous verified prophecy (Acts 11:28) lends immense weight to his message here, making it not a mere human premonition but a direct communication from God. Luke, as the narrator (indicated by "we"), establishes the direct witness to this event. The geographical movement "down from Judaea" implies that the prophecy emanates from the spiritual and historical center of the early church. This verse underscores the functioning of spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy, in providing divine guidance and confirming the Lord's will to the early believers. It foreshadows the coming trials as part of God's overarching plan for Paul, even as human choices (Paul's resolve, and others' attempts to dissuade him) play out within that divine framework. The prophecy, while difficult, ultimately fortifies Paul's commitment, portraying him as a suffering servant echoing Christ himself.