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

Acts 21:11 details a dramatic prophetic act performed by Agabus, who took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and then declared, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" This directly foretold Paul's impending arrest, imprisonment, and transfer to Roman authorities by Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, serving as a solemn divine warning.

Acts 21 11 Context

Acts chapter 21 chronicles Paul's resolute journey to Jerusalem despite numerous warnings of impending danger and suffering. Prior to Agabus's prophecy, believers in Tyre, "through the Spirit," urged Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4). The prophetic action and words of Agabus in verse 11 represent the most explicit and dramatic divine warning yet received. This event occurs while Paul and his companions are at Caesarea, en route to Jerusalem. Historically, prophetic actions involving physical objects and dramatic displays were a common form of communication among Old Testament prophets, adding a layer of authenticity and solemnity to the message. The warning underscores the increasing tension between Paul, his mission to the Gentiles, and segments of the Jewish population in Jerusalem, ultimately leading to his arrest by Roman authorities, yet initiated by Jewish opposition.

Acts 21 11 Word analysis

• καὶ (kai) - "And": Simple conjunction connecting the event to the narrative flow.

• ἐλθὼν (elthōn) - "coming": Greek participle, indicates Agabus's deliberate action of approaching them.

• πρὸς (pros) - "to": Directional preposition, indicating Agabus's personal presence.

• ἡμᾶς (hēmas) - "us": Refers to Paul and his companions present (Luke, the narrator, included).

• λαμβάνων (lambanōn) - "he took": Greek present active participle, denoting a deliberate and immediate action.

• τὴν ζώνην (tēn zōnēn) - "the belt": Greek for 'belt' or 'girdle'. An essential article of clothing, it symbolized readiness, identity, or resources (e.g., Matt 10:9). By taking Paul's belt, the prophecy is unmistakably directed at Paul.

• τοῦ Παύλου (tou Paulou) - "of Paul": Possessive, specifying ownership.

• αὑτοῦ (autou) - "his own": Emphatic pronoun, highlights that Agabus binds himself, demonstrating the action.

• τοὺς πόδας (tous podas) - "feet": Literal meaning.

• καὶ (kai) - "and": Simple conjunction.

• τὰς χεῖρας (tas cheiras) - "hands": Literal meaning. Binding both feet and hands signifies complete helplessness and incapacitation.

• ἔδησεν (edēsen) - "he bound": Greek aorist indicative, indicates a completed action.

• καὶ (kai) - "and": Connects the action to the verbal prophecy.

• εἶπεν (eipen) - "said": Greek aorist indicative, introducing the spoken prophecy.

• Τάδε λέγει (Tade legei) - "Thus says": Standard prophetic formula, frequently used in the Old Testament ("Thus says the Lord"). It introduces a divine utterance, establishing ultimate authority.

• τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον (to Pneuma to Hagion) - "the Holy Spirit": Explicitly names the source of the prophecy, reinforcing its divine origin and truthfulness. This links Agabus's message to the consistent guidance of the Spirit in Acts.

• Ὁ ἄνδρα (Ho andra) - "The man": Definite article and noun, referring to a specific person.

• οὗ ἐστιν (hou estin) - "whose is": Possessive phrase.

• ἡ ζώνη (hē zōnē) - "the belt": Referring back to the specific belt taken from Paul, leaving no doubt about the subject.

• αὕτη (hautē) - "this": Demonstrative pronoun.

• οὕτως (houtōs) - "So": Links the method of Agabus's binding (symbolic) to the future method of Paul's binding (actual). "In this manner."

• δήσουσιν (dēsousin) - "they shall bind": Greek future indicative, a definite prediction of an action to occur.

• ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις (en Hierosolymois) - "in Jerusalem": Specific location, identifying the place where the binding would occur. Jerusalem, the spiritual heartland, becoming the place of suffering for the apostle.

• οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι (hoi Ioudaioi) - "the Jews": The direct agents of the initial binding. This highlights the opposition from Paul's own people who rejected his message, a recurring motif.

• καὶ (kai) - "and": Connects the two predicted actions.

• παραδώσουσιν (paradōsousin) - "they shall deliver him": Greek future indicative, indicating another definite prediction. To "hand over," often used in contexts of legal or punitive transfer (e.g., Jesus' betrayal).

• εἰς χεῖρας (eis cheiras) - "into the hands": Idiomatic phrase meaning "into the power/authority of."

• ἐθνῶν (ethnōn) - "Gentiles": In this context, referring to the Roman authorities or officials, symbolizing the loss of Paul's freedom to non-Jewish rule.

• "And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt": Agabus's direct engagement with Paul, signifying the immediate and personal relevance of the message. The symbolic act is initiated by physically taking Paul's property, creating an undeniable link.

• "bound his own feet and hands": This dramatic self-binding served as a visual aid, powerfully conveying the future helplessness and imprisonment awaiting Paul. It evoked ancient prophetic traditions where symbolic actions clarified and reinforced divine messages.

• "Thus says the Holy Spirit": This declarative formula authenticates the message as a direct revelation from God, emphasizing its divine authority and unquestionable truth. It aligns Agabus's words with inspired prophecy.

• "So shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt": The prophecy clearly identifies Paul through his belt, specifies the place (Jerusalem), and names the instigators (Jews) of his imprisonment. The "so shall" directly links the dramatic illustration to the actual future event.

• "and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles": This part of the prophecy foretold Paul's subsequent handover to Roman authorities, a consequence of the Jewish accusations and their limited legal power. This echoed Jesus' own predictions of suffering, including being delivered to Gentiles.

Acts 21 11 Bonus section

• The prophetic style of Agabus in Acts 21:11 directly echoes Old Testament prophets who frequently used symbolic actions (e.g., Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah) to visually communicate divine messages with greater impact than words alone. This establishes continuity between the Old Testament prophetic tradition and the work of the Holy Spirit in the early church.
• The dramatic nature of the prophecy aimed not only to inform but also to deeply impress upon Paul and his companions the gravity and certainty of the future events. It allowed no room for misinterpretation or dismissal of the danger.
• Paul's unwavering commitment in response to this severe prophecy (Acts 21:13-14) demonstrates profound faith and a complete surrender to God's will, viewing his suffering as part of God's redemptive plan rather than a deterrent.
• The detail that the Jews would "deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles" draws a stark parallel with the passion of Jesus, who was similarly delivered by His own people into the hands of Roman authorities (Matt 20:19, John 18:35). This subtly positions Paul as a true imitator of Christ in suffering for the gospel.
• The repeated warnings Paul received throughout his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:23; 21:4; 21:11) signify that Paul's suffering was within God's sovereign knowledge and allowance, rather than being an unexpected tragedy. God allowed the warnings but did not prevent Paul's journey, indicating a divine purpose in the suffering.

Acts 21 11 Commentary

Acts 21:11 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating a divinely ordained, dramatically conveyed warning to Paul. Agabus, a prophet known for accuracy, utilized a profound symbolic act—binding himself with Paul’s own belt—to illustrate Paul's impending suffering. This vivid, Old Testament-style prophecy served several purposes: it authenticated the divine source (the Holy Spirit), identified the victim (Paul, through his belt), specified the location (Jerusalem), named the primary agents of initial apprehension (the Jews), and revealed the ultimate authority he would fall under (the Gentiles, i.e., Roman officials). Despite this powerful, explicit forewarning, Paul's resolve to fulfill his divine commission remained unshaken, highlighting his supreme dedication to Christ and his calling, even unto suffering. The event foreshadows Paul's subsequent trials, imprisonments, and his long journey toward Rome, where he would ultimately appeal to Caesar.