Many Old Testament prophets held important positions in Israel’s story. In the New Testament, Agabus demonstrates someone with the gift of prophecy in the New Covenant. The Mosaic Law had specific regulations regarding a prophet, including punishments for fraud. In the Law, two criteria determined a false prophet. First, the word spoken didn’t come to pass. Second, the oracle turned people from worshipping the one true Yahweh. Even if what they said happened, turning people from God proved them false. The punishment for both? Death (Deuteronomy 18:20).
Since prophets in the Old Testament brought God’s messages to the people and kings, the position was crucial, especially before sending the Holy Spirit. The standards for prophets change with the New Testament. False prophets aren’t executed after Jesus. Since the Holy Spirit is placed within every believer’s heart, we can “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Essentially, the Spirit within us bears witness to whether another’s word is from the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 14).
We see this in Agabus’s interactions with an important man: the apostle Paul.
The Bible doesn’t specifically mention Agabus’ conversion or his background before he’s recorded in Acts. However, early Christian early Christian tradition and historical accounts offer insights.
The 70 disciples, also known as the 70 apostles, were individuals whom Jesus appointed and sent out to preach the gospel and perform miracles during his ministry on earth. This group is mentioned in Luke 10:1-24, where Jesus sends them out in pairs to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. Though these disciples’ names are not specifically listed, tradition holds that Agabus was among them.
Early Christian writings, such as The Church History by Eusebius and The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, list Agabus as one of the 70 disciples.
Some traditions specifically link Agabus with Antioch, where he is believed to have spent a significant portion of his ministry. Antioch was a prominent center of early Christianity, and Agabus’ association with the city reflects its importance in spreading the gospel during the first century. Some accounts suggest that Agabus served as a leader in the Antioch church.
Agabus’ association with the 70 disciples fits his prophetic role and active involvement in spreading the gospel. Jesus empowered these disciples to carry out his ministry, which could explain why Agabus is a leader and notable prophet in Acts and why he could perform miraculous signs.
Luke, the author of Acts, introduces Agabus as one of the prophets who traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch, a prominent city in the early Christian movement. Acts 11 records a dire prophecy by Agabus that would affect many nations.
“During this time, some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)” (Acts 11:27-28)
Agabus’ prophecy demonstrates prophecy’s ongoing and common appearance in the early church and the prophets’ role in communicating God’s messages to his people. The mention of when the famine happened reveals his authenticity as a prophet.
The believers also played a part. As 1 Corinthians 14 instructs, the rest judge the message by the Spirit when a prophet speaks. The disciples must respond if the congregation agrees the Spirit speaks the message. Here, in Acts 11, this happens.
Upon hearing about the impending famine, the Antioch disciples assisted their brothers and sisters in Judea who would be affected by the famine: “The disciples, as each one was able, decided to help the brothers and sisters living in Judea. They sent their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts 11:29-30)
Agabus’ prophecy forewarned the believers and prompted them to demonstrate their love to believers in need. God acts from love and warns so those who listen can properly prepare for what is coming. In Acts, the believers’ support reflects how the early church established their faith by practicing mutual care and sharing.
Agabus’ prophecy gives evidence of God’s sovereignty over global affairs and ability to reveal future events to his chosen servants. The fact that the famine later happened shows that Agabus’ prophecy was fulfilled, confirming God’s providential care and faithfulness to His promises.
For the second prophecy by Agabus in the Bible, Acts records his word from God about the imprisonment and hardships that the apostle Paul would face in Jerusalem.
“After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 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 21:10-11) In this passage, Agabus arrives from Judea to meet Paul and his companions in Caesarea. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Agabus dramatically illustrates the prophecy by using Paul’s belt to bind the apostle’s hands and feet, symbolizing the imprisonment and hardships Paul would endure.
Again, Agabus warns of the future. However, the future depends on Paul’s actions: if Paul goes to Jerusalem, then the Jewish leaders will bind him. Agabus’ demonstration of the prophecy communicates its seriousness. Paul’s companions responded with concern about him continuing to Jerusalem.
Despite their pleas for him not to go to Jerusalem, Paul remains steadfast in his determination to fulfill God’s calling, trusting in the Lord's guidance and provision. Acts 21:14 records Paul’s response: “When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord's will be done.’”
In this case, Paul already knew from God that his trip to Jerusalem would end in arrest and hardship. Agabus’ prophecy felt like a warning for Paul to avoid the city. Still, Paul interpreted it as affirming what God had already told him about the situation. Again, the word of the Spirit comes from one person, yet the audience listens to the same Spirit to respond. Paul believed God had called him to Jerusalem, hardships included. Agabus confirmed that belief with his prophecy.
Agabus’ prophecy unfolds when Paul is arrested in Jerusalem: “The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.” (Acts 21:33)
Paul’s subsequent hardships, including his imprisonment and eventual journey to Rome, confirm Agabus’ prophecy and the challenges that awaited him. Despite his difficulties, Paul remained faithful to his calling. He continued proclaiming the gospel, even from his prison cell. The Bible includes several letters from Paul written in prison, which still encourage and empower Christians today.
The Bible doesn’t provide details beyond these Acts passages on Agabus’ life. However, early Christian traditions provide some ideas on what happened to him. However, early Christian writings and traditions offer insights into his later years.
One tradition suggests Agabus continued his prophetic ministry, guiding and encouraging the growing Christian communities. Some accounts depict Agabus traveling to different regions to proclaim the gospel and deliver God’s messages to believers.
Another tradition suggests Agabus faced persecution and died for his faith. While the Bible does not explicitly mention Agabus’ martyrdom, early Christian writings and traditions often include him among those who sacrificed their lives for the gospel’s sake. These accounts emphasize Agabus’ unwavering commitment to his faith: his willingness to endure suffering for Christ’s sake.
We may lack specific biblical details about Agabus’ later life, but the Bible and later Christian tradition honor his role as a prophet and his contributions to the early church.
Despite only a few brief passages in Acts, Agabus’s life provides several valuable lessons.
Agabus’ prophetic ministry still inspires and guides Christians today.
Let’s boldly and humbly share God’s word. Our culture starves for truth, and we have God’s truth, the person of Christ, living within us. We are humble because the word isn’t from us. We are bold because God shares oracles for people’s good. With Agabus as our example, we can deepen our commitment to God, grow in our prophetic gifting, and faithfully serve others in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Photo Credit: Public domain (1687 painting by Louis Cheron)
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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