Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon [b]all[/b] flesh: and your sons and your [b]daughters[/b] shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
prophesy = G4395
προφητεύω prophēteúō; fut. prophēteúsō, from prophḗtēs (G4396), prophet. To prophesy.
(I) To foretell things to come (Mat_11:13; Mat_15:7; Mar_7:6; 1Pe_1:10; Jud_1:14); to declare truths through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit whether by prediction or otherwise (Luk_1:67; Act_2:17-18; Act_19:6; Act_21:9; 1Co_14:1, 1Co_14:3-5; Rev_10:11; Rev_11:3; Sept.: 1Ki_22:12, 1Ki_22:18; Ezr_5:1; Jer_11:21; Joe_2:28). The foretelling or foreannouncing may be, and often is, the responsibility of the prophet, but is not the essence of that office.
(II) To tell forth God's message, hence the noun prophḗtēs (G4396), prophet, is the proclaimer, one who speaks out the counsel of God with the clearness, energy, and authority which spring from the consciousness of speaking in God's name and having received a direct message from Him to deliver. Thus one may prophesy without being a prophet in the strict sense of the word. A prophḗtēs, both in the OT and NT, is not primarily one who foretells things to come, but who (having been taught of God) speaks out His will (Deu_18:18; Is. chap. 1; Jer. chap. 1; Ezek. chap. 2; 1Co_14:3). The art of heathen divination, however, uses the word manteúomai (G3132), to soothsay, divine.
(III) Used once of the high priest, with whose office the gift of prophecy was connected (Joh_11:51).
(IV) As including the idea of praise to God accompanied by prediction (Luk_1:67; Sept.: 1Sa_10:5-6, 1Sa_10:11; 1Sa_19:20-21).
(V) Of false prophets (Mat_7:22; Sept.: Jer_14:14-15).
(VI) Of mockery by the soldiers guarding Jesus, meaning to divine, guess, give a response, with the dat. (Mat_26:68; Mar_14:65; Luk_22:64).
(VII) Specifically of the prophetic gift or chárisma (G5486), charisma, imparted by the Holy Spirit to the early Christians (Act_19:6; Act_21:9; 1Co_11:4-5; 1Co_13:9; 1Co_14:1, 1Co_14:3-5, 1Co_14:24, 1Co_14:31, 1Co_14:39). Deriv.: prophēteía (G4394), a prophecy. Syn.: apokalúptō (G601), to reveal; prolégō (G4302), to foretell. _________________ CHRISTIAN
|