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Acts 21:11

in Acts 21

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.’”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

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.

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This verse in Acts 21

Commentary

16 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

Scorpiace · Written before 220.

When Agabus, making use of corresponding action too, had foretold that bonds awaited Paul, the disciples, weeping and entreating that he would not venture upon going to Jerusalem, entreated in vain. As for him, having a mind to illustrate what he had always taught, he says, "Why weep ye, and grieve my heart? But for my part, I could wish not only to suffer bonds, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of my Lord Jesus Christ.

This site's exposition

a prophet named Agabus

on Acts 21:10-11

Agabus, whose word about the famine in chapter 11 had proved true, bound his own feet and hands with Paul’s belt. The acted prophecy, like Isaiah walking barefoot, came true in both halves, Jewish hands and then Roman.

This site's exposition

bound his own feet and hands

Agabus speaks in the name of the Holy Spirit where the old prophets spoke in the name of the Lord. Bede reads this as a witness that the Spirit is Lord and God.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 16.1 · Written before 253.

proposed

"When he was about to go up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve aside and spoke to them on the road, 'Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall sentence him to death, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and beaten and crucified, and on the third day he shall rise." Paul both contemplated Christ, in the face of manifest dangers, proceeding and eagerly going up to Jerusalem with the foreknowledge that he would be handed over to the chief priests and scribes and sentenced to death, and he exhorted us to imitate him as he imitated Christ, as he says, "Be imitators of me as I am of Christ." And he did something similar to what Christ did when he took his disciples aside. For Agabus, taking his belt and girding himself about the hands and feet, said, "These things the Holy Spirit says: they will bind in this way the man who owns this belt" when he goes off to Jerusalem. When Paul learned of this, in imitation of his teacher, he went up eagerly to Jerusalem.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

Agabus, the one who long ago foretold the famine. But the troubling thing is that they will hand him over into the hands of Gentiles. And see that when Paul heard that he would suffer countless terrible things, then he was hastening. And Agabus did …

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Matthew 10 · Written before 407.

proposed

But why, it may be asked, did he use a girdle with his raiment? This was customary with them of old time, before men passed into this soft and loose kind of dress. Thus, for instance, both Peter appears to have been "girded," and Paul; for it saith, "the man that owneth this girdle." And Elijah too was thus arrayed, and every one of the saints, because they were at work continually, laboring, and busying themselves either in journeyings, or about some other necessary matter; and not for this cause only, but also with a view of trampling under foot all ornaments, and practising all austerity. This very kind of thing accordingly Christ declares to be the greatest praise of virtue, thus saying, "What went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king's houses."

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 45 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 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." He who formerly had declared about the famine, the same says, This "man, who owneth this girdle, thus shall they bind." The same that the prophets used to do, representing events to the sight, when they spoke about the captivity - as did Ezekiel - the same did this Agabus. And Agabus does not say, "They shall bind" Paul, that he may not seem to speak upon agreement with Paul, but "the man that owneth this girdle" - so then he had a girdle also.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 45 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 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." He who formerly had declared about the famine, the same says, This "man, who owneth this girdle, thus shall they bind." The same that the prophets used to do, representing events to the sight, when they spoke about the captivity - as did Ezekiel - the same did this Agabus. And Agabus does not say, "They shall bind" Paul, that he may not seem to speak upon agreement with Paul, but "the man that owneth this girdle" - so then he had a girdle also.
8 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

Thus says the Holy Spirit: The man whose belt this is, will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem in this way. He imitates the old prophets, who used to say: Thus says the Lord God. Because the Holy Spirit is equally Lord and God, …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

This is that Agabus who earlier predicted the famine. But bitter is the fact that "they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." Notice: as soon as he heard that he was about to endure many sufferings, he begins to hasten. Agabus did …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Binding his own feet and hands - In the manner that malefactors were wont to be bound when apprehended. So shall the Jews bind the man whose girdle this is - St. Paul's bonds were first particularly foretold at Cesarea, to which he afterward came in bonds, chap. xxiii, 33.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

To Paul was given the word of wisdom and knowledge, as an apostle, by the Spirit, and the gifts of healing; to Agabus, and to Philip's daughters, was given prophecy, by the same Spirit--the foretelling of things to come, which came to pass according to the prediction.
And when he was come unto us,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

He took Paul’s girdle - The loose, flowing robes, or outer garments, which were worn in Eastern countries, were bound by a girdle, or sash, around the body when they ran, or labored, or walked. Such a girdle was therefore an indispensable part of dress. And bound his own hands and feet - As emblematic of what would be done by the Jews to Paul. It was common for the prophets to perform actions which were emblematic of the events which they predicted. The design was to make the prediction more forcible and impressive by representing it to the eye.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

So shall the Jews bind the man that owneth this girdle, &c.--For though the Romans did it, it was at the Jews' instigation (Ac 21:33; Such dramatic methods of announcing important future events would bring the old prophets to remembrance.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands, etc. - This was no doubt a prophet, in the commonly received sense of the term; and his mode of acting was like that of the ancient prophets, who often accompanied their predictions with significant emblems. Jeremiah was commanded to bury his girdle by the river Euphrates, to mark out the captivity of the Jews. Jer 13:4. For more examples of this figurative or symbolical prophesying, see Jer 27:2, Jer 27:3; Jer 28:4; Isa 20:1-6; Ezekiel 4:1-17; 12:1-28, etc. Into the hands of the Gentiles - That is, the Romans, for the Jews had not, properly speaking, the power of life and death. And, as Agabus said he should be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, he showed thereby that they would attempt to destroy his life. This prediction of Agabus was literally fulfilled: see Act 21:33.

The words behind it

42 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Acts 9:16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”10 worksActs 21:33The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.7 worksActs 20:23I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.6 works1 Samuel 15:27–28As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.4 worksJeremiah 13:1–11This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”4 worksEzekiel 24:19–25Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Kings 11:29–31During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.3 worksJeremiah 19:10–11Then you are to shatter the jar in the presence of the men who accompany you,3 works1 Kings 22:11Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”3 works2 Kings 13:15–19Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.3 worksJohn 21:18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”3 worksActs 22:30The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.3 worksActs 13:2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”2 worksHebrews 10:34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.2 worksActs 22:25But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”2 worksMatthew 27:1–2When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.2 worksMatthew 20:18–19“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death2 worksHebrews 3:7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 20:23

    I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.

    it leads to

    • Acts 9:16

      I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

    • Acts 21:4

      We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

    • 1 Thessalonians 3:3

      so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this.

    • Acts 14:22

      strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

    • Acts 21:33

      The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

  • Through

    Acts 21:33

    The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

    it leads to

    • Ephesians 6:20

      for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

    • Acts 12:6

      On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.

    • Acts 20:23

      I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 21 →
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew 10; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 45; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 16.1; Tertullian, Scorpiace and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 21 →