Bible Strands
Acts 21:9
He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Luke records this detail while narrating the group's stay at the home of Philip the evangelist in Caesarea. The statement identifies Philip's family composition immediately before the arrival of the prophet Agabus.
The words — παρθένοι (parthenoi) literally means "virgins" or "unmarried women," and προφητεύουσαι (prophēteuousai) is a present active participle meaning "prophesying." The Greek syntax directly links these terms to Philip's four daughters.
The thread — This description of daughters prophesying echoes the promise in Acts 2:17 that sons and daughters will prophesy, while the mention of female prophets recalls figures like Miriam in Exodus 15:20. The New Testament also notes women exercising prophetic gifts, contrasting with the warning in Revelation 2:20 against false prophetesses.
Why it lands — The text identifies a specific family within a broader missionary journey, showing that prophetic ministry was not restricted to male apostles. Readers must acknowledge the factual presence of female prophets in the early church before drawing any conclusions about their authority or roles.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Cross-references
- Acts 2:17 ‘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.
- Revelation 2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Joel 2:28 And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- Luke 2:36 There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,
- Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
- 2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
- Nehemiah 6:14 O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.
- Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
- 1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.