Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Acts 11:28

Signified

(εσημαινεν). Imperfect active in Westcott and Hort, but aorist active εσημανεν in the margin. The verb is an old one from σημα (σημειον) a sign (cf. the symbolic sign in Acts 21:11). Here Agabus (also in Acts 21:10) does predict a famine through the Holy Spirit.Should be

(μελλειν εσεσθα). Μελλω occurs either with the present infinitive (Acts 16:27), the aorist infinitive (Acts 12:6), or the future as here and Acts 24:15; Acts 27:10.Over all the world

(εφ' ολην την οικουμενην). Over all the inhabited earth (γην, understood). Probably a common hyperbole for the Roman empire as in Luke 2:1. Josephus (Ant. VIII. 13, 4) appears to restrict it to Palestine.In the days of Claudius

(επ Κλαυδιου). He was Roman Emperor A.D. 41-44. The Roman writers (Suetonius, Dio Cassius, Tacitus) all tell of dearths (assiduae sterilitates) during the brief reign of Claudius who was preceded by Caligula and followed by Nero.

Continues after advertising

See also Acts 11:28 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    ACTS 11:28 avnasta.j de. … evsh,manen {A} An important Western reading, preserved in D (itp) (copG67) Augustine, supplies the first “we”-passage 225 in any text of Acts: h=n de....

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Acts 11:28. _AGABUS_] This prophet, of whom we know nothing, is once more mentioned, Acts 21:10. He was probably a _Jew_, but whether converted now to Christianity we cannot tell. _GREAT DEART...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    NAMED AGABUS - This man is mentioned but in one other place in the New Testament. In Acts 21:10, he is referred to as having foretold that Paul would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. It is...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 11 _ 1. Peter's Defense in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1)._ 2. The Beginning of the Church in Antioch (Acts 11:19). 3. Barnabas sent to Antioch (Acts 11:22). 4. The Prophecy of Agabus ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROPHECY OF AGABUS. MISSION TO JERUSALEM OF BARNABAS AND SAUL. PROPHETS FROM JERUSALEM (_cf. Acts 15:32_ *). Vague dating, in those days. The story fixes its own date. Agabus appears again in Acts 21:...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    In these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them called Agabus stood up and, through the Holy Spirit, gave a sign that a great famine was to come upon the whole land. This happe...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    PETER ON HIS DEFENCE (Acts 11:1-10)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    STOOD UP. Greek. _anistemi._ App-178. NAMED. by name. AGABUS. Compare Acts 21:10. BY. through. Greek. _dia._ App-104.Acts 11:1. THE SPIRIT. The article shows that this was the Holy Spirit (App-101....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _one of them named Agabus_ He is mentioned again Acts 21:10, where by a significant action, as well as by his words, he foretells the imprisonment of St Paul at Jerusalem. _and signified by the Spirit...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΜΕΓΆΛΗΝ after ΛΙΜΌΝ with אABD, and so ἬΤΙΣ to agree with it instead of ὅστις. Καίσαρος omitted with אABD. Unrepresented in _Vulg_. 28. ΕἾΣ ἘΞ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν ὈΝΌΜΑΤΙ ἌΓΑΒΟΣ, _one of them, named Agabus_. He i...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    AGABUS AT ANTIOCH FORETELLS A FAMINE, AND IN CONSEQUENCE THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH SENDS RELIEF TO JERUSALEM...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _BARNABAS AND SAUL WERE SENT TO JERUSALEM -- ACTS 11:27-30:_ In that year that Saul and Barnabas were at Antioch some Christian prophets came from Jerusalem. One of them named Agabus, predicted, by th...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΆΝΑΣΤΆΣ _aor. act. part. (сопутств.)_, _см._ Acts 11:7. ΈΣΉΜΑΝΕΝ _impf. ind. act. от_ ΣΗΜΑΊΝΩ (G4591) означать, оповещать, ΛΙΜΌΝ _асс. sing. от_ ΛΙΜΌΣ (G3042) голод. Голод в античном мире мог быть вы...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS,— Agabus prophesied that the famine should spread _throughout the whole world,_ which phrase was frequently used in those times to signify the whole Roman e...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE EARLY LABORS OF BARNABAS AND SAUL. Acts 11:22, Acts 12:25 1. IN JERUSALEM. Acts 11:22. Acts 11:22 And the report concerni

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    See notes one verse 27...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. AND THERE STO...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    26 The name "Christian" is Latin in its termination, so seems to have been given by the Romans. It is mentioned only twice more (Act_26:28; 1Pe_4:16), and was a term of contempt. It is never used by t...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH, 35-47 A.D. (ACTS 11:19 TO ACTS 13:3) 19-26. Extension of the Church to Antioch. Admission of Gentile members. Antioch in N. Syria ranked next to Alexandria, as the third city in...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The Church of Antioch succours the Church of Jerusalem in time of famine. 27. Friendly-relations clearly prevailed between Jerusalem and Antioch, the former Church sending accredited prophets and teac...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FIRST GENTILE CHURCH 1-18. The baptism of Cornelius discussed and approved at Jerusalem. Those Christians who maintained the need of observing the Ceremonial Law did not attack the baptism itself...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AGABUS] see Acts 21:10. GREAT DEARTH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD] There was a severe famine in the fourth year of Claudius, 45 a.d., which affected both Judæa and Greece. To this St. Luke probably refers...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 11 PETER’S REPORT TO THE *CHURCH IN *JERUSALEM, 11:1-18 V1 The *apostles and the *believers in *Judea heard that the *Gentiles also had receive...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS. — The same prophet appears again in Acts 21:10 as coming down from Jerusalem to Cæsarea. Nothing more is known of him. The prophecy of the “dearth” or “famine”...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Ἄγαβος : on derivation see W.H [245], ii., 313, from עגב “to love”; or from חגב “a locust,” Ezra 2:45; Nehemiah 7:48, with rough breathing Ἅγ. W.H [246] follow Syriac and read the former as in T.R., s...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    KNITTING TOGETHER THE CHURCH Acts 11:19-30 The development of God's plan is still further disclosed in the events recorded in this section, which describe the same phenomenon of Gentile conversion, b...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    It is very interesting to note how slowly the prejudices of the Hebrew Christians gave way, and yet how amenable they were to the evidences as they appeared. The apostles and the brethren at Jerusalem...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    The Gentiles Help Starving Christians in Judea Certain prophets, or men who had received a miraculous gift which allowed them to speak for God, came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Agabus, one of that numb...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    GENTILE PHILANTHROPY 27-30. The great drought during the reign of the Emperor Claudius was already on them. The Jerusalem saints had found it necessary to sell their estates in order to support that w...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. (28) And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: w...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We are now arrived at a turning-point in the history, not merely of the church, but of the unfolding of the truth of God, and the manifestation of His ways. The death of Stephen, therefore, has in var...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    28._He signified by the Spirit. _Luke doth plainly express that the Spirit of God was the author of this prophecy, that we may know that it was not a conjecture taken by the stars, or some other natur...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Acts 11:19 begins the narration of the new order of things by which the ministry of Paul is distinguished. Among those who were scattered abroad on the occasion of Stephen's death, and who went as far...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS,....] The same name with Hagaba in Ne 7:48 and with Hagabah, or Hagab in Ezra 2:45 and which the Septuagint there call Agaba and Agab. The name signifies a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Ver. 28. _And t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _In these days_ While Barnabas and Saul were at Antioch; _came prophets_ thither _from Jerusalem_ Persons who were divinely inspired to foretel future events. _And there stood up_ In the congregation;...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    SIGNIFIED BY THE SPIRIT; made known, under the influence of the Holy Spirit. DEARTH; famine. CLAUDIUS CAESAR; he was the fifth Roman emperor, and reigned from A.D. 41 to 54. This famine took place a...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM, NAMED AGABUS, AND SIGNIFIED BY THE SPIRIT THAT THERE SHOULD BE GREAT DEARTH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD; WHICH CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF CLAUDIUS CAESAR....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Barnabas and Saul sent on a charitable mission:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    News of Peter's carrying the gospel to Gentiles had preceded him to Jerusalem. When he arrived there, therefore, he was faced by those who were specially zealous of the law, and who spoke accusingly o...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    :!7 17 IF THEREFORE GOD GAVE THEM THE SAME GIFT AS _HE GAVE_ US WHEN WE BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO WAS I THAT I COULD WITHSTAND GOD? " 1. What was similar to Pentecost? 1. Cornelius was...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    THEN ONE OF THEM, NAMED AGABUS, STOOD UP AND SHOWED BY THE SPIRIT THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A GREAT FAMINE THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD, WHICH ALSO HAPPENED IN THE DAYS OF CLAUDIUS CAESAR. 1. God was se...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be. great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius" "Agabus" (AG uh bus). This...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    25-30 Hitherto the followers of Christ were called disciples, that is, learners, scholars; but from that time they were called Christians. The proper meaning of this name is, a follower of Christ; it...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BY THE SPIRIT; by a resolution from the Spirit, as one of his gifts, and not by judicial astrology, or any other means real or pretended; for it is a prerogative of God only to foretell things to come...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Acts 11:28 Then G1161 one G1520 of G1537 them G846 named G3686 Agabus G13 up G450 (G5631) showed...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    GOD'S PEOPLE REACH OUT IN LOVE TO MEET EACH OTHER'S NEEDS (11:27-30). This is in a way similar to the summaries that had followed the early evangelism, demonstrating the spirituality and genuineness o...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world, which came about in the days of Claudius.' The prophets in the main exp...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Acts 11:28. THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS. He appears again many years later (Acts 21:10) in the same prophetic character, and again in connection with Judaea. From that passage we gain some...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    WORLD (Greek, "oikoumenē", means "inhabited earth"). (_ See Scofield) - (Luke 2:1). _...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Peter vindicates his ministry to the Gentiles. Name «Christians» first applied at Antioch. CHARACTERS: Jesus, Spirit, Peter, angel, John, Stephen, Barnabas, Saul, Agabus, Caesar. CONCLUSIO...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Acts 11:2. _They of the circumcision contended with him._ Those who were zealous of the law, apprehending that Christ and his grace had only been promised and confined to themselves, the call and conv...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    ABOUT THAT TIME SOME PROPHETS. See note on Acts 2:17. NAMED AGABUS. We meet him again in Acts 21:10. A GREAT FAMINE. _Eusebius_ writes: "In his reign there was a famine that prevailed over the whole w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch._ FRUIT FROM THE GENTILES 1. The relation between the old Church at Jerusalem and the new at Antioch was that which St. Paul, writing und...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 11:27 Paul and Barnabas represented the Antioch church by bringing its offering to the Jerusalem church in a time of need (see chart). Paul says in Gal

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 11:28 A GREAT FAMINE. Historians believe this famine took place in A.D. 45–46 or 47. OVER ALL THE WORLD is a general prediction of the many regional famines that took place during Cl...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 11:19. UPON THE PERSECUTION.—Or, _tribulation,_ ἀπὸ πῆς θλίψεως: better, _from_ (as an effect of) _the persecution,_ THAT AROSE ABOUT STEPHEN, ἐπὶ Στεφάνῳ—_i.e., on account of,...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ACTS 11:1 _Now_ for _and_, A.V.; _the_ _brethren _for brethren, A.V.; _also had_ for _had also_, A.V, We can imagine how rapidly the news of the great revolution would travel to the metrop...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come back to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision had a fight wi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 8:2; Acts 21:10; Genesis 41:30;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    The world. See on Luke 2:1....

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Agabus rising up — In the congregation. All the world — The word frequently signifies all the Roman empire. And so it is doubtless to be taken here....

Continues after advertising

Old Testament