Go to People in the Bible or Women in the Bible
Agabus was a prophet who prophesied during the 40s and 50s, during the time when Christians were highly active in evangelizing the teachings of Jesus throughout the Roman world.
During the time of Agabus, Christians were under persecution in Jerusalem and were relying more and more on the city of Antioch, which is in what is now modern-day Turkey, to serve as an administrative center for early Christian evangelical efforts.
Agabus is mentioned twice in the New Testament, both times in the book of Acts. In Acts 11:27-30, he travels from Jerusalem to Antioch and prophesies about a severe famine that would occur in the Roman world. This prompts the Christians of Antioch to gather donations for their brothers and sisters in Judea.
In Acts 21:10-11, Agabus travels from Jerusalem to Caesarea, where Paul the Evangelist has just completed his third missionary journey. Agabus then gives Paul a prophecy that Paul would be arrested if he returned to Jerusalem.
Paul decides to go to Jerusalem anyway. He is arrested, as Agabus had said, and Paul continues to evangelize about Jesus even as he is taken as a prisoner to Rome.
Click here for a list of Agabus' prophecies.
Next person in the Bible: Ahab, King of Israel
Go to People in the Bible or Women in the Bible