Acts 21 11

Acts 21:11 kjv

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, 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 nkjv

When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' "

Acts 21:11 niv

Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'?"

Acts 21:11 esv

And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

Acts 21:11 nlt

He came over, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.'"

Acts 21 verses

Acts 21 11 Meaning

This verse describes a prophet named Agabus who came from Judea to Caesarea and bound his own feet and hands with Paul's own belt. This was a symbolic prophetic act signifying that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem by the Gentiles. It's a stark visual prediction of future suffering and imprisonment for the Apostle Paul, a recurring theme in his ministry.

Acts 21 11 Context

This event occurs in Acts chapter 21 as Paul is making his final journey to Jerusalem. He had been in Caesarea, and prior to this, prophets in Tyre had warned him not to go to Jerusalem, warning of the dangers he would face there. This prophecy by Agabus, using a dramatic visual sign, further emphasizes the impending hardship. The community, hearing this, begged Paul not to go. This prophecy is directly related to the warnings Paul himself had received from the Holy Spirit in Acts 20:23.

Acts 21 11 Word analysis

• And (καὶ - kai): A conjunctive particle, linking clauses or phrases. Here it connects the arrival of Agabus with his prophetic action.
• coming (ἐρχόμενος - erchomenos): Present participle of ἔρχομαι (erchomai), meaning "to come" or "to go." Describes an ongoing action of arrival.
• from (ἀπό - apo): Preposition indicating origin or separation. Agabus came "from" Judea.
• Judea (Ἰουδαίας - Ioudaías): The genitive case of Ἰουδαία (Ioudaía), referring to the region of Judea.
• there (ἐκεῖ - ekeī): Adverb of place, indicating "in that place" (Caesarea).
• bound (δέσας - desas): Aorist participle of δέω (deō), meaning "to bind," "to tie," "to imprison." It's a direct action completed in the past relative to the telling of the event.
• own (ἑαυτοῦ - heautou): Reflexive pronoun, referring back to the subject, Agabus. He bound his own feet.
• feet (πόδας - podas): Accusative plural of πούς (pous), "foot."
• and (καὶ - kai): Again, a conjunction.
• hands (χρᾶσιν - cheirōn): Genitive plural of χεῖρ (cheir), "hand." Here in the dative case. The Greek manuscripts are variable here, some use χειρῶν (cheirōn - genitive) for "hands". The context indicates Agabus bound both feet and hands.
• with (περί - peri): Preposition often translated as "about" or "around." Here it signifies "with" or "using."
• his (αὐτοῦ - autou): Possessive pronoun.
• own (ἰδίοις - idiois): Dative plural of ἴδιος (idios), "one's own," "private." Emphasizes the personal connection to the belt.
• girdle (ζώνης - zōnēs): Genitive singular of ζώνη (zōnē), "belt," "girdle." This was Paul's belt.
• saying (λέγων - legōn): Present participle of λέγω (legō), "to say," "to speak." It introduces Agabus's words.
• Thus (οὕτως - houtōs): Adverb of manner, meaning "in this way," "so."
• says (λέγει - legei): Third-person singular present active indicative of λέγω (legō), "says."
• the (τὰ - ta): Definite article.
• Holy (Πνεῦμα - Pneuma): Refers to the Holy Spirit.
• Spirit (τὸ - to): Refers to the Spirit.
• so (οὕτως - houtōs): Adverb of manner.
• shall (οὕτως - houtōs): This word should not be here in the translation for this specific Greek word, rather the structure of the sentence indicates future intent or prophecy.
• the (οὕτως - houtōs): Again, this definite article is misused if translated directly with the word for "so". It refers to the impending action.
• Jews (Ἰουδαῖοι - Ioudaioi): Nominative plural of Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaîos), "Jew."
• at (καὶ - kai): Conjunction.
• this (οὕτως - houtōs): Pronoun and adverb. Refers to the way it will happen.
• place (οὕτως - houtōs): Refers to Jerusalem.
• bind (δήσουσιν - dēsousin): Third-person plural future active indicative of δέω (deō), "they will bind."
• the (οὕτως - houtōs): Refers to the owners.
• owner (οὕτως - houtōs): Refers to the owners of this belt (Paul).
• of (οὕτως - houtōs): Genitive case indicating possession.
• this (οὕτως - houtōs): Demonstrative pronoun.
• belt (οὕτως - houtōs): This word does not exist here in the Greek text for this specific context of "owner of this belt."
• and (οὕτως - houtōs): This word should be linked to the binding action, not referring to a specific type of person.
• deliver (παραδώσουσιν - paradōsousin): Third-person plural future active indicative of παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi), "to hand over," "to deliver."
• unto (εἰς - eis): Preposition indicating motion into or unto.
• the (τοῦ - tou): Genitive article.
• Gentiles (τῶν ἐθνῶν - tōn ethnōn): Genitive plural of ἔθνος (ethnos), "nation," "people," here referring to non-Jews.

Group Analysis:

• "bound his own feet and hands with his own girdle": This is a vivid, tangible prophetic action. The act of binding signifies restriction, imprisonment, and a loss of freedom, mirroring the literal binding Paul would soon experience.
• "Thus says the Holy Spirit": This attests to the divine origin and authority of the prophecy. The Spirit of God is directly communicating the future.
• "so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the owner of this girdle": This identifies the perpetrators ("the Jews" as the instigators, though ultimately it would be the Romans acting through them) and the location ("Jerusalem"). It also links the prophecy directly to Paul through the ownership of the belt. The mention of "Jews" here is important given Paul's mission to the Gentiles, highlighting the particular challenges he faced within his own people. However, history shows it was the Romans who ultimately imprisoned Paul in Jerusalem, acting upon the accusation of Jews, hence the Gentiles are mentioned as the ones who would physically hold him. This highlights a nuanced prophetic vision, not just immediate political actors.

Acts 21 11 Bonus section

The Greek word for "girdle" (ζώνης - zōnēs) can also refer to a sword belt or a pouch belt, but in this context, it refers to a typical waist belt, perhaps made of leather or cloth. Belts were common and essential for carrying items or holding garments in place. The symbolism of a prophet tying a belt around himself and then applying it to another person’s limbs is a dramatic representation of binding and restraint. The Holy Spirit's guidance to Agabus was precise, linking the symbol (the belt) directly to its owner (Paul) and foreshadowing his fate at the hands of both the Jewish authorities who accused him and the Roman Gentiles who would imprison him. The repetition of the word "thus" (οὕτως - houtōs) emphasizes the certainty and manner of the prophecy. This predictive element, rooted in divine knowledge, is a significant aspect of prophetic ministry within the early church.

Acts 21 11 Commentary

Agabus's prophecy employs a powerful symbolic action, mirroring Old Testament prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah who used physical demonstrations to convey divine messages. The act of binding Paul's symbolic property (his belt) with his own body illustrates the personal and unavoidable nature of the coming suffering. This is not a mere prediction but a forewarning that underscores the seriousness of Paul's mission and his willingness to obey the Spirit despite the personal cost. The prophecy's fulfillment (Acts 21:33) validates Agabus as a true prophet and highlights the foreknowledge of God concerning the lives of His servants, even in their deepest sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. It emphasizes that suffering is an integral part of carrying the message of Christ.