^21:10While we remained there for a number of days,⁴⁰ a prophet named Agabus⁴¹ came down from Judea. ^21:11He came⁴² to us, took⁴³ Paul’s belt,⁴⁴ tied⁴⁵ his own hands and feet with it,⁴⁶ 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 over⁴⁷ to the Gentiles.’ ” ^21:12When we heard this, both we and the local people⁴⁸ begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. ^21:13Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking⁴⁹ my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,⁵⁰ but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ^21:14Because he could not be persuaded,⁵¹ we said no more except,⁵² “The Lord’s will be done.”⁵³

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Footnotes

40 πολύς 1.b.α has “ἐπὶ ἡμέρας πλείους for a (large) number of days, for many days … Ac 13:31.—21:10 … 24:17; 25:14; 27:20.”
41 Agabus also appeared in Acts 11:28. He was from Jerusalem, so the two churches were still in contact with one another.
42 Grk “And coming.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The participle ἐλθών (elthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
43 Grk “and taking.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. The participle ἄρας (aras) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
44 The belt was a band or sash used to keep money as well as to gird up the tunic ( ζώνη).
45 The participle δήσας (dēsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
46 The words “with it” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
47 Grk “and will deliver him over into the hands of” (a Semitic idiom). The Jews … will tie up … and will hand him over. As later events will show, the Jews in Jerusalem did not personally tie Paul up and hand him over to the Gentiles, but their reaction to him was the cause of his arrest (Acts 21:27–36).
48 Or “the people there.”
49 The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus ( 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a ) it is used figuratively ( συνθρύπτω).
50 L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together—‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’ ” The verb δέω (deō) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.
51 The participle πειθομένου (peithomenou) in this genitive absolute construction has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
52 Grk “we became silent, saying.”
53 “The Lord’s will be done.” Since no one knew exactly what would happen, the matter was left in the Lord’s hands.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 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.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

After we had been there a number of 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.’ ”

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 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.’ ” When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 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.’ ” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And while we were staying there many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 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.’ ” And when we heard these things, both we and the local residents urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul replied, “What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!” And because he would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea 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. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

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