Acts 11:28 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Agabus foretells by the Spirit a great famine across the whole Roman world, which came to pass under Claudius.
What Does Acts 11:28 Mean?
One of the prophets, Agabus — who years later will foretell Paul's arrest (21:10-11) — stands and signifies by the Spirit a great dearth coming on all the inhabited world. Luke adds the historian's note: it came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar, whose reign was indeed marked by severe famines.
Prophecy here is intensely practical: God warns not to satisfy curiosity but to awaken compassion. The fulfilled word also anchors the gospel in public history — real emperors, real harvests, real years. The God who rules both heaven and the grain supply speaks into the actual world His people inhabit, and His foreknowledge bends toward mercy, giving the church time to love its brethren well.
Acts 11:28 in the Original Language
oikoumene (οἰκουμένη), 'world' -- the inhabited earth, the Roman world.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 11:28
What does Acts 11:28 mean?
Agabus foretells by the Spirit a great famine across the whole Roman world, which came to pass under Claudius.