Bible Dictionaries
Prophecy, Prophesy, Prophesying

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies "the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God" (pro, "forth," phemi, "to speak:" see PROPHET); in the NT it is used (a) of the gift, e.g., Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 13:2; (b) either of the exercise of the gift or of that which is "prophesied," e.g., Matthew 13:14; 1 Corinthians 13:8; 14:6,22; 1 Thessalonians 5:20 , "prophesying (s);" 1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Revelation 1:3; 11:6; 19:10; 22:7,10,18,19 .

"Though much of OT prophecy was purely predictive, see Micah 5:2 , e.g., and cp. John 11:51 , prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means, Matthew 26:68 , it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future, see Genesis 20:7; Deuteronomy 18:18; Revelation 10:11; 11:3 . ...

"In such passages as 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20 , the 'prophets' are placed after the 'Apostles,' since not the prophets of Israel are intended, but the 'gifts' of the ascended Lord, Ephesians 4:8,11; cp. Acts 13:1; ...; the purpose of their ministry was to edify, to comfort, and to encourage the believers, 1 Corinthians 14:3 , while its effect upon unbelievers was to show that the secrets of a man's heart are known to God, to convict of sin, and to constrain to worship, 1 Corinthians 14:24,25 .

"With the completion of the canon of Scripture prophecy apparently passed away, 1 Corinthians 13:8,9 . In his measure the teacher has taken the place of the prophet, cp. the significant change in 2 Peter 2:1 . The difference is that, whereas the message of the prophet was a direct revelation of the mind of God for the occasion, the message of the teacher is gathered from the completed revelation contained in the Scriptures." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians by Hogg and Vine, pp. 196,197.]

"of or relating to prophecy," or "proceeding from a prophet, prophetic," is used of the OT Scriptures, Romans 16:26 , "of the prophets," lit., "(by) prophetic (Scriptures);" 2 Peter 1:19 , "the word of prophecy (made more sure)," i.e., confirmed by the person and work of Christ (AV, "a more sure, etc."), lit., "the prophetic word."

"to be a prophet, to prophesy," is used (a) with the primary meaning of telling forth the Divine counsels, e.g., Matthew 7:22; 26:68; 1 Corinthians 11:4,5; 13:9; 14:1,3-5,24,31,39; Revelation 11:3; (b) of foretelling the future, e.g., Matthew 15:7; John 11:51; 1 Peter 1:10; Jude 14 .