It's easy to see "prophets" as only predicting the future, but this verse highlights them as vital, divinely-inspired teachers who were a recognized order within the early church, even ranking just below apostles. Their arrival from Jerusalem wasn't just a coincidence; it represented an important validation from the mother church for the burgeoning Gentile mission in Antioch.
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the exciting news of Gentiles coming to faith in Antioch, prophets from Jerusalem arrived. One of these, Agabus, then publicly announced a coming widespread famine. This prophecy prompted the believers in Antioch to gather resources and send financial aid back to the church in Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul.
When we hear the word 'prophet,' our minds might jump to crystal balls and predicting the future. But in the New Testament, the role of a prophet was so much richer and more vital.
A Broader Spiritual Gift
The Bible describes prophets as a key spiritual gift within the early church, ranked just below apostles (1 Corinthians 12:28). While some prophets, like Agabus in this passage, did foretell future events, their role was primarily about speaking God's truth.
Why would prophets travel from the established church in Jerusalem all the way to the bustling, new Gentile-filled church in Antioch? This movement reveals a crucial connection between the church's roots and its rapid expansion.
A Sign of Church Unity and Oversight
The arrival of prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch wasn't random. It signified several important things about the early church's structure and heart:
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Understand the original words
prophētēs · Greek Noun
Individuals inspired by God to proclaim His message, reveal His will, or foresee future events under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit.
pneuma · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity, who indwells believers, guides the church, and empowers testimony and supernatural revelation.
The arrival of prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch wasn't just a casual visit; it was a vital connection between the burgeoning Gentile church and its Jewish roots, providing both spiritual confirmation and practical foresight regarding a coming crisis.
c. AD 40-45
Early Gentile Conversions
Following Pentecost, the gospel begins to spread to non-Jews in Antioch, marking a significant expansion of the early church beyond its Jewish origins.
c. AD 45-47
Barnabas and Saul Minister in Antioch
Barnabas and Saul spend a considerable time in Antioch, teaching and strengthening the growing community, which includes a large number of Gentile believers.
c. AD 47— this verse
Prophets Visit Antioch
Inspired teachers, known as prophets, travel from Jerusalem to Antioch, bringing fellowship and guidance from the mother church.
c. AD 47-48
Agabus Foretells Famine
Agabus, one of the visiting prophets, receives a message from the Spirit and warns the church in Antioch about a coming widespread famine.
c. AD 48-49
Relief Mission to Judea
In response to Agabus's prophecy, the believers in Antioch collect funds to aid their brothers and sisters in Judea, sending Barnabas and Saul to deliver the aid.
c. AD 48-50
Famine Grips the Roman Empire
The famine foretold by Agabus affects the Roman Empire, particularly impacting Judea, as documented by historians like Josephus.
This passage shows prophets functioning similarly in Antioch, highlighting their role as inspired teachers and leaders within the early church, similar to the prophets mentioned in Acts 11:27.
1 Corinthians 12:28This verse lists prophets as a distinct gift within the church, placing them alongside apostles and teachers, which underscores their recognized importance and function, as seen with the prophets visiting Antioch.
Ephesians 4:11Here, prophets are again listed as a gift given by Christ to the church for its equipping and building up, reinforcing the idea that their presence in Antioch was a divinely appointed means of strengthening the believers there.
Acts 21:10-11This passage illustrates another instance of a prophet (Agabus, who also appears in Acts 11) delivering a message from the Spirit, demonstrating a consistent pattern of prophetic ministry in the New Testament.
ellicottActs 11:27: "And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch."
(27) Came prophets from Jerusalem. —The mission thus described was obviously a further sanction given by the Church at Jerusalem to the work that Saul and Barnabas were carrying on at Antioch. If we adopt the view suggested in the Note on Luke 10:1 , that the Seventy were the representatives of the prophetic order, and were symbolically significant of the conversion of the Gentiles, it will seem probable that those who n…
jfbActs 11:27-30: "And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch."
Ac 11:27-30. By Occasion of a Famine Barnabas and Saul Return to Jerusalem with a Contribution for the Relief of Their Suffering Brethren.27. came prophets from Jerusalem—inspired teachers, a class we shall afterwards frequently meet with, who sometimes, but not necessarily, foretold future events. They are classed next to apostles (1Co 12:28, 29; Eph 4:11).
It's easy to see "prophets" as only predicting the future, but this verse highlights them as vital, divinely-inspired teachers who were a recognized order within the early church, even ranking just below apostles. Their arrival from Jerusalem wasn't just a coincidence; it represented an important validation from the mother church for the burgeoning Gentile mission in Antioch.
Following the exciting news of Gentiles coming to faith in Antioch, prophets from Jerusalem arrived. One of these, Agabus, then publicly announced a coming widespread famine. This prophecy prompted the believers in Antioch to gather resources and send financial aid back to the church in Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul.
Following the exciting news of Gentiles coming to faith in Antioch, prophets from Jerusalem arrived. One of these, Agabus, then publicly announced a coming widespread famine. This prophecy prompted the believers in Antioch to gather resources and send financial aid back to the church in Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul.
"Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius)." — It's easy to see "prophets" as only predicting the future, but this verse highlights them as vital, divinely-inspired teachers who were a recognized order within the early church, even ranking just…
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Last reviewed October 2026
