Prophecy — Meaning in the Bible
A message from God spoken through a prophet. Prophecy in the Bible includes warnings, calls to return to God and promises about the future, not only predictions.
What it means
Prophets spoke God's words to their own people and time, often with "This is what the LORD says". Much prophecy calls people back to justice and faithfulness. Jeremiah 1:4–9Amos 1:1–2Micah 6:8
Prophecy also includes promises about what God will do. In the church, prophecy is listed among the gifts of the Spirit for building others up. Isaiah 9:6–7Joel 2:281 Corinthians 14:32 Peter 1:20–21
Key passages
- Deuteronomy 18:18–22 — A true prophet and a false one.
- Jeremiah 1:4–10 — Jeremiah's call.
- Joel 2:28–29 — The Spirit poured out; quoted in Acts 2.
- 1 Corinthians 14:1–5 — Prophecy builds up.
- 2 Peter 1:19–21 — Prophecy came as people were moved by the Spirit.
Original language
προφητεία prophēteia
Greek · Strong’s G4394 · gloss: “prophecy”
The Greek word for prophecy. 2 Peter 1:20
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Study further
- Deuteronomy 18:15–22 Testing prophets.
- Jeremiah 1:1–19 A prophet's call.
- Acts 2:14–21 Prophecy fulfilled at Pentecost.