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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
- BSB Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
- 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.’ ”
- NASB And he came to us and took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
- 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.’”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Agabus binds his own hands and feet with Paul's belt, prophesying that the Jews will likewise bind Paul and hand him over to the Gentiles. A vivid sign foretells Paul's arrest.
Overview
In the manner of Old Testament prophets who acted out their messages, Agabus dramatizes Paul's coming captivity. Speaking by the Holy Spirit, he foretells that Paul will be bound and delivered to Gentile authorities, just as Jesus was handed over. The prophecy confirms God's foreknowledge of Paul's sufferings and aligns his path with that of his crucified Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- Acts 21:33Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
- Jer 13:1–11Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
- 1 Sam 15:27–28And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
- 1 Kgs 22:11And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
- Ezek 24:19–25And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
- Acts 20:23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
- Jer 19:10–11Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,
- 2 Kgs 13:15–19And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
- 1 Kgs 11:29–31And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
- Heb 3:7Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
- Acts 13:2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
- Acts 28:25And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
- Acts 22:25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
- Acts 28:20For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
- Acts 16:6Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
- Eph 4:1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
- Acts 26:29And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
- Eph 6:20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
- 2 Tim 2:9Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
- Matt 27:1–2When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
- Matt 20:18–19Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
- Acts 9:16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
- Hos 12:10I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
- Eph 3:1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
- Acts 28:17And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
- Acts 24:27But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
- Heb 10:34For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
- 1 Pet 1:12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
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Original language
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