Prophecy

Prophecy is a message from God spoken through a prophet, including warnings, calls to repentance, and predictions of future events; the New Testament also lists prophecy among the gifts of the Spirit.

Prophecy comes from God

• 2 Peter 1:20-21
  ²⁰Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. ²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
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• Amos 3:7
  Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
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• Hebrews 1:1
  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
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• Deuteronomy 18:18
  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
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Prophets called by God

• Isaiah 6:8-9
  ⁸Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” ⁹And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
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• Jeremiah 1:9
  Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
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• Ezekiel 3:17
  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
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• Amos 7:14-15
  ¹⁴Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees. ¹⁵And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
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Testing prophets

• Deuteronomy 18:21-22
  ²¹And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” ²²When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
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• Jeremiah 23:16
  Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
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• Matthew 7:15
  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
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• 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
  ²⁰Despise not prophesyings.Do not treat prophecies with contempt, ²¹Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
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• 1 John 4:1
  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
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Fulfilled in Christ

• Matthew 5:17
  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
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• Luke 24:27
  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
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• Luke 24:44
  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
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• Acts 3:18
  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
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The gift of prophecy

• Acts 2:17-18
  ¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
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• Romans 12:6
  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
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• 1 Corinthians 12:10
  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
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• 1 Corinthians 14:1
  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
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• 1 Corinthians 14:3
  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.
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The prophecy of Revelation

• Revelation 1:3
  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.
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• Revelation 22:18-19
  ¹⁸For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. ¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
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See also

• Messianic prophecy
• Scripture
• Spiritual gifts
• False teachers
• Second Coming

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.