Agabus

Agabus appears twice in Acts. First, Acts 11:27-28: "In these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius)." The prophecy prompted the Antiochene church to send relief to the Jerusalem saints — the first organized inter-congregational aid in the NT. Second, Acts 21:10-11: Agabus came from Judea to Caesarea, took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, 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.'" The sign-act prophecy was precisely fulfilled in Paul's arrest in the temple. Agabus is the clearest NT example of the OT-style prophetic sign-act adapted to the early church. His ministry confirms the continuation of prophecy in the post-Pentecost church and the integration of prophetic ministry with apostolic mission.