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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Complete Jewish Bible

Acts 21:11

to visit us. He took Sha'ul's belt, tied up his own hands and feet and said, "Here is what the Ruach HaKodesh says: the man who owns this belt — the Judeans in Yerushalayim will tie him up just like this and hand him over to the Goyim."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Disobedience to God;   Girdle;   Luke;   Pantomime;   Paul;   Prophecy;   Prophets;   Prudence;   Rashness;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Inspiration;   Prophets;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Garments;   Holy Spirit, the Teacher, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Luke;   Philip;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Acts, book of;   Jerusalem;   Prophecy, prophet;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy Spirit, Gifts of;   Luke-Acts, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Syrian Christians;   Worship of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Agabus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Agabus;   Luke;   Luke, Gospel of;   Offices in the New Testament;   Oracles;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Sign;   Spirit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Caesarea;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Agabus ;   Famine;   Feet;   Fig-Tree ;   Girdle;   God;   Gospels (2);   Hand;   Miracles;   Paul;   Philip the Evangelist;   Possession;   Unity;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, Prophet;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Agabus;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Education;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Agabus;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied 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 deliver him over to the Gentiles.’”
King James Version (1611)
And when he was come vnto vs, he tooke Pauls girdle, and bound his owne hands and feete, and said, Thus sayth the holy Ghost, So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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.'"
New American Standard Bible
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.'"
New Century Version
He came to us and borrowed Paul's belt and used it to tie his own hands and feet. He said, "The Holy Spirit says, ‘This is how evil people in Jerusalem will tie up the man who wears this belt. Then they will give him to the older leaders.'"
Amplified Bible
And coming to [see] us, he took Paul's [wide] band (belt, sash) and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this same way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this band, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles (pagans).'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And coming to us, he 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 at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
Legacy Standard Bible
And coming to us, he 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 at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
Berean Standard Bible
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.'"
Contemporary English Version
He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, "The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles."
Darby Translation
and coming to us and taking the girdle of Paul, and having bound his own hands and feet, said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose this girdle is shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver him up into the hands of [the] Gentiles.
Easy-to-Read Version
He came to us and borrowed Paul's belt. He used it to tie his own hands and feet. He said, "The Holy Spirit tells me, ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man who wears this belt. Then they will hand him over to people who don't know God.'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when he was come vnto vs, he tooke Pauls girdle, and bound his owne hands & feete, and sayd, Thus sayth the holy Ghost, So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles.
George Lamsa Translation
And when he was come unto us, he took Paul''s girdle, and bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Good News Translation
He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied up his own feet and hands with it, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: The owner of this belt will be tied up in this way by the Jews in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles."
Lexham English Bible
And he came to us and took Paul's belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
Literal Translation
And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, and binding his hands and feet, he said, The Holy Spirit says these things : In Jerusalem the Jews will bind in this way the man whose girdle this is, and will deliver him up into the hands of the nations.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And he came to us, and took the band of Paul's clothing, and putting it round his feet and hands, said, The Holy Spirit says these words, So will the Jews do to the man who is the owner of this band, and they will give him up into the hands of the Gentiles.
Hebrew Names Version
Coming to us, and taking Sha'ul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Ruach HaKodesh: 'So will the Yehudim at Yerushalayim bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Goyim.'"
International Standard Version
He came to us, took Paul's belt, and tied his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"Acts 20:23; 21:33;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And he came in to us, and took the loins'-girdle of Paulos, and bound his own feet and his hands, and said, Thus saith the Spirit of Holiness, So the man the master of this girdle will the Jihudoyee bind in Urishlem; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Murdock Translation
And he came in to us, and took the girdle of Paul's loins, and bound his own feet and hands, and said: Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, who owns this girdle; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when he was come vnto vs, he toke Paules girdle, & bounde his owne handes and feete, & sayde: Thus sayth the holy ghost, so shall the Iewes at Hierusalem bynde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall delyuer hym into the handes of the gentiles.
English Revised Version
And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, 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.
World English Bible
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.'"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And coming to us, he took up Paul's girdle, and binding his own feet and hands, said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man whose girdle this is, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Weymouth's New Testament
When he arrived he took Paul's loincloth, and bound his own feet and arms with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This whanne he cam to vs, took the girdil of Poul, and boond togidere hise feet and hoondis, and seide, The Hooli Goost seith these thingis, Thus Jewis schulen bynde in Jerusalem the man, whos is this girdil; and thei schulen bytake into hethene mennys hoondis.
Update Bible Version
And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had come to us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and will deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.
New English Translation
He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said, "The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
New King James Version
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."'
New Living Translation
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.'"
New Life Bible
He came to see us. Then he took Paul's belt and used it to tie his own feet and hands. He said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, ‘The Jews at Jerusalem will tie the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the people who are not Jews.'"
New Revised Standard
He came to us and took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, coming unto us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said - Thus, saith the Holy Spirit, the man whose this girdle is, shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver up into the hands of Gentiles.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who, when he was come to us, took Paul’s girdle: and binding his own feet and hands, he said: Thus saith the Holy Ghost: The man whose girdle this is, the Jews shall bind in this manner in Jerusalem and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Revised Standard Version
And coming to us he took Paul's girdle and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this girdle and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When he was come vnto vs he toke Pauls gerdell and bounde his hondes and fete and sayde: thus saith the holy goost: so shall ye Iewes at Ierusalem bynde the man yt oweth this gerdell and shall delyver him into the hondes of the gentyls.
Young's Literal Translation
and he having come unto us, and having taken up the girdle of Paul, having bound also his own hands and feet, said, `Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose is this girdle -- so shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind, and they shall deliver [him] up to the hands of nations.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wha he was come vnto vs, he toke Pauls gerdell, and bounde his hades and fete, and sayde: Thus sayeth ye holy goost: The man whose gerdell this is, shal the Iewes bynde thus at Ierusalem, and shal delyuer him in to the handes of the Heythe.
Mace New Testament (1729)
when 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 owns this girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."
Simplified Cowboy Version
He walked right up to Paul, took Paul's belt, and made a noose out of it while placing it over his head. With the leather noose around his neck, he said, "Listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say. 'This is the fate of the owner of this belt when he gets to Jerusalem. They are going to sort him out and hand him over to the mavericks.'"

Contextual Overview

8 The following day, we left and came to Caesarea, where we went to the home of Philip the proclaimer of the Good News, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters with the gift of prophecy. 10 While we were staying there, a prophet named Agav came down from Y'hudah 11 to visit us. He took Sha'ul's belt, tied up his own hands and feet and said, "Here is what the Ruach HaKodesh says: the man who owns this belt — the Judeans in Yerushalayim will tie him up just like this and hand him over to the Goyim." 12 When we heard this, both we and the people there begged him not to go up to Yerushalayim; 13 but Sha'ul answered, "What are you doing, crying and trying to weaken my resolve? I am prepared not only to be tied up, but even to die in Yerushalayim for the name of the Lord Yeshua." 14 And when he would not be convinced, we said, "May the Lord's will be done," and kept quiet.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he took: 1 Samuel 15:27, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Kings 11:29-31, 2 Kings 13:15-19, Jeremiah 13:1-11, Jeremiah 19:10, Jeremiah 19:11, Ezekiel 24:19-25, Hosea 12:10

Thus: Acts 13:2, Acts 16:6, Acts 20:23, Acts 28:25, Hebrews 3:7, 1 Peter 1:12

So shall: Acts 21:33, Acts 22:25, Acts 24:27, Acts 26:29, Acts 28:20, Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 4:1, Ephesians 6:20, 2 Timothy 2:9, Hebrews 10:34

and shall: Acts 28:17, Matthew 20:18, Matthew 20:19, Matthew 27:1, Matthew 27:2

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 43:9 - great Ezekiel 3:25 - General Matthew 16:22 - Be it far from thee Matthew 22:13 - Bind Mark 13:9 - take Luke 9:51 - he stedfastly John 21:18 - another Acts 9:16 - I will Acts 19:21 - to go Acts 20:22 - I go Acts 22:30 - because 2 Corinthians 11:23 - in prisons Philippians 1:13 - General 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - we are 1 Peter 4:19 - let

Cross-References

Genesis 17:18
Avraham said to God, "If only Yishma‘el could live in your presence!"
Genesis 21:1
Adonai remembered Sarah as he had said, and Adonai did for Sarah what he had promised.
Genesis 21:2
Sarah conceived and bore Avraham a son in his old age, at the very time God had said to him.
2 Samuel 18:33
David took a census of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David dispatched the people, a third of them under the command of Yo'av, a third under Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah, Yo'av's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gitti; and the king said to the people, "I will also go out with you, myself." But the people replied, "Don't go out; because if we flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; so it is better now that you stay in the city and be ready if we need help." The king answered them, "I will do whatever you think best." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. The king gave orders to Yo'av, Avishai and Ittai, "For my sake, deal gently with young Avshalom." All the people were listening when the king gave all the commanders this order concerning Avshalom. So the people went out into the field against Isra'el; the battle took place in the forest of Efrayim. The people of Isra'el were defeated there by David's servants; there was a terrible slaughter that day of 20,000 men. For the battle there was spread all over the countryside; the forest devoured more people that day than did the sword. Avshalom happened to meet some of David's servants. Avshalom was riding his mule, and as the mule walked under the thick branches of a big terebinth tree, his head got caught in the terebinth, so that he was left hanging between earth and sky, as the mule went on from under him. Someone saw it and told Yo'av, "I saw Avshalom hanging in a terebinth." Yo'av asked the man who told him, "Here now, you saw it; so why didn't you strike him to the ground then and there? I would have had to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt besides." The man replied to Yo'av, "Even if I were to get a thousand pieces of silver, I still wouldn't raise my hand against the son of the king! After all, while we were listening, the king ordered you, Avishai and Ittai, ‘Be careful that no one touches young Avshalom.' Or, if I had pretended that I didn't know, the king would have known otherwise anyway; and you wouldn't have interceded for me either." Yo'av said, "I can't waste time arguing with you!" He took three darts in his hand and rammed them through Avshalom's heart while he was still alive, hanging from the terebinth. Then Yo'av's ten young armor-bearers surrounded Avshalom, struck him and killed him. Yo'av sounded the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing Isra'el, because Yo'av held back the troops. They took Avshalom and threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled a big heap of stones over him. All Isra'el fled, each one to his tent. In his own lifetime Avshalom had taken and raised for himself the pillar which stands in the King's Valley; because he said, "I don't have a son to preserve the memory of my name." So he named the pillar after himself, and it's called Avshalom's Monument to this day. Then Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok said, "Let me run now and bring news to the king that Adonai has judged in his favor by releasing him from his enemies." Yo'av said to him, "You are not to be the one to bring the news today; you can convey news another day; but today you will not bring news, because the king's son is dead." Then Yo'av said to the Ethiopian, "Go, tell the king what you saw." The Ethiopian bowed to Yo'av, then ran off. But Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok said again to Yo'av, "Come what may, please let me also run after the Ethiopian." Yo'av answered, "Why do you want to run, my son? You won't receive any reward for bringing the news." "I don't care — whatever happens, I want to run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Achima‘atz ran by the road through the desert flats and outran the Ethiopian. David was sitting between the two gates. A watchman went up to the roof of the gate and out onto the wall, raised his eyes, looked, and saw there a man running by himself. The watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he has good news to tell." As he ran along and came close, the watchman saw another man running and called to the gatekeeper, "There's another man running by himself." The king said, "He too must have good news." The watchman said, "The first one runs like Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok." The king said, "He's a good man, he comes with good news." Achima‘atz called to the king, "Shalom," prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Blessed be Adonai your God, who has handed over the men who rebelled against my lord the king." The king asked, "Is everything all right with young Avshalom?" Achima‘atz answered, "When Yo'av sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a big commotion; but I didn't know what it was." The king said, "Go, and stand over there." So he went and stood there. Then up came the Ethiopian, and the Ethiopian said, "There's good news for my lord the king, for Adonai has judged in your favor and rid you of all those who rebelled against you." The king asked the Ethiopian, "Is everything all right with young Avshalom?" The Ethiopian answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rebel against you in order to harm you be as that young man is."
Matthew 10:37
Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy of me.
Hebrews 12:11
Now, all discipline , while it is happening, does indeed seem painful, not enjoyable; but for those who have been trained by it, it later produces its peaceful fruit, which is righteousness.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was come unto us,.... In Philip's house:

he took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet; and so prophesied by types and symbols, and gestures, as the prophets of old did; as Isaiah in Isaiah 20:2 and Jeremiah in

Jeremiah 13:1, and Ezekiel in Ezekiel 4:1 and Hosea in Hosea 1:2, some understand this of his binding Paul's hands and feet, but it seems rather to design his own:

and said, thus saith the Holy Ghost; who was in Agabus, and spoke by him, and foretold some things to come to pass; and which did come to pass, and is a proof of the foreknowledge, and so of the deity of the blessed Spirit:

so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle; meaning Paul, and who accordingly was bound in like manner, a very little time after this; see Acts 21:33

and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles; the Romans, as they afterwards did.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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. Thus, Jeremiah was directed to bury his girdle by the Euphrates, to denote the approaching captivity of the Jews, Jeremiah 13:4. Thus, he was directed to make bands and yokes, and to put them around his neck, as a sign to Edom and Moab, etc., Jeremiah 27:2-3. Thus, the act of the potter was emblematic of the destruction that was coming upon the nation of the Jews, Jeremiah 18:4. So Isaiah walked naked and barefoot as a sign of the captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia, Isaiah 20:3-4. Compare Ezekiel 4:12, etc.

So shall the Jews ... - This was fulfilled. See Acts 21:33, and Acts 24:0.

Into the hands of the Gentiles - To be tried; for the Romans then had jurisdiction over Judea.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 21:11. Took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands, c.] 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. Jeremiah 13:4. For more examples of this figurative or symbolical prophesying, ee Jeremiah 27:2, Jeremiah 27:3; Jeremiah 28:4; Isaiah 20:1-6; Ezekiel 4:1-17; Ezekiel 12:1-28, &c.

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 Acts 21:33.


 
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