Protos

What does "Prophecy" mean in the Bible?

Or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a “miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyond the power of human sagacity to foresee, discern, or conjecture.” (See PROPHET.) The great prediction which runs like a golden thread through the whole contents of the Old Testament is that regarding the coming and work of the Messiah; and the great use of prophecy was to perpetuate faith in his coming, and to prepare the world for that event. Prophecy appears in 16 verses across 6 books of the Bible.

What does the Bible say about Prophecy?

Or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a “miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyond the power of human sagacity to foresee, discern, or conjecture.” (See PROPHET.) The great prediction which runs like a golden thread through the whole contents of the Old Testament is that regarding the coming and work of the Messiah; and the great use of prophecy was to perpetuate faith in his coming, and to prepare the world for that event. But there are many subordinate and intermediate prophecies also which hold an important place in the great chain of events which illustrate the sovereignty and all-wise overruling providence of God. Then there are many prophecies regarding the Jewish nation, its founder Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:16; 15:5; 17:2, 4-6, etc.), and his posterity, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants (12:7; 13:14, 15, 17; 15:18-21; Ex. 3:8, 17), which have all been fulfilled. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy contains a series of predictions which are even now in the present day being fulfilled. In the writings of the prophets Isaiah (2:18-21), Jeremiah (27:3-7; 29:11-14), Ezekiel (5:12; 8), Daniel (8; 9:26, 27), Hosea (9:17), there are also many prophecies regarding the events which were to befall that people. There is in like manner a large number of prophecies relating to those nations with which the Jews came into contact, as Tyre (Ezek. 26:3-5, 14-21), Egypt (Ezek. 29:10, 15; 30:6, 12, 13), Ethiopia (Nahum 3:8-10), Nineveh (Nahum 1:10; 2:8-13; 3:17-19), Babylon (Isa. 13:4; Jer. 51:7; Isa. 44:27; Jer. 50:38; 51:36, 39, 57), the land of the Philistines (Jer. 47:4-7; Ezek. 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8; Zeph. 2:4-7; Zech. 9:5-8), and of the four great monarchies (Dan. 2:39, 40; 7:17-24; 8:9). But the great body of Old Testament prophecy relates directly to the advent of the Messiah, beginning with Gen. 3:15, the first great promise, and extending in ever-increasing fulness and clearness all through to the very close of the canon. The Messianic prophecies are too numerous to be quoted. “To him gave all the prophets witness.” (Comp. Micah 5:2; Hag. 2:6-9; Isa. 7:14; 9:6, 7; 11:1, 2; 53; 60:10, 13; Ps. 16:11; 68:18.) Many predictions also were delivered by Jesus and his apostles. Those of Christ were very numerous. (Comp. Matt. 10:23:24; 11:23; 19:28; 21:43, 44; 24; 25:31-46; 26:17-35, 46, 64; Mark 9:1; 10:30; 13; 11:1-6, 14; 14:12-31, 42, 62; 16:17, etc.)

Definition text: Easton's Bible Dictionary · 1897. Public domain.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

What is the Greek word for Prophecy?

Greek · G4394

προφητεία

prophēteia

prophecy

TBESG, from Abbott-Smith (1922). Public domain.

Where does Prophecy appear in the Bible?

Prophecy is referenced in 16 verses across 6 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Prophecy.

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Prophecy?

Prophecy appears in 16 verses across 6 books, most often in Revelation, which accounts for 7 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Prophecy?

Revelation, 1 Corinthians, 2 Peter, 1 Timothy, Matthew, Romans.

Where can I read every verse about Prophecy?

This page lists 16 of them. Protos carries all 16, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read Revelation with "Prophecy" explained on the verse.

Tap any name, place, or word you do not recognize and the background opens on the verse you are reading. No second tab, no search, no losing your place.

The Protos reader open on Genesis 1 with the How to Read Genesis background sheet raised over it

Testimonies from pastors and Bible teachers

Portrait of Darren Raynald
“Great app for diving into Scripture wherever you are. It makes it easy and convenient to study on the go.”

Darren Raynald

Pastor, MountainHouse Church · Teaches at Portland Bible College

Portrait of Jason Layantara
“Been using Protos for months now. Protos is an amazing Bible study app for anyone who wants to grow deeper in God's Word. I love how it helps me understand Scripture beyond simply reading the verses, providing helpful historical context, commentary, and insights into the original Hebrew and Greek. The resources make it easier to engage with the Bible and grow in understanding.”

Jason Layantara

Teaching Pastor, MountainHouse Church · M.A. in Christian Leadership · Bible class teacher, Lake Tahoe

"People often think they have a discipline problem because they struggle to read the Bible for more than a few minutes, while they can watch movies for hours. It may not be an attention-span problem so much as an immersion problem: when you understand the story, the people, the world, and what is happening, two hours can disappear. But when you do not understand what you are reading, even ten minutes can feel like work. So you skim past the words and jump straight to what the passage means for you before you have listened to what God is saying through the text, the story, and the voice of the writer. It happens so often that theology has a name for it: eisegesis."
Fabio Jonathan ArifinFabio JonathanFounder of Protos · Portland Bible College graduate

Protos helps you close that gap so you can stop skimming and start getting immersed in the world of the Bible.

★★★★★4.8 from 117 App Store ratings

The streak feature actually got people in my congregation excited to read, especially the youth. We've started comparing notes after service.
PhilPastor, Ohio
between work + kids i barely get time to breathe lol. but protos somehow helps making deep studies doable. i've been reading during lunch breaks again for the first time in years.
CalebA dad
been using protos for like 2 weeks now. It helps me prep for our small group without getting overwhelmed. The context snippets show up right where I need them.
Chloe ChuaSmall group leader, Singapore

Start understanding the Bible better.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play