Acts 21:9
He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Acts 21:9
He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It's easy to skim over this detail, but these daughters weren't just "unmarried"; the Greek word suggests they had dedicated themselves to a life of service to God. Moreover, their "prophesying" likely encompassed more than just predicting the future, including inspired teaching or proclamation, revealing a dynamic role for women in the early church.
The Apostle Paul and his companions have just arrived in Caesarea and are staying with Philip, one of the seven deacons and an evangelist. They are with Philip's family as Agabus, a prophet from Judea, arrives and dramatically foretells Paul's upcoming imprisonment in Jerusalem. The narrative highlights the warm welcome Paul receives from Philip's household, including his four daughters who also possess the gift of prophecy.
Philip's daughters are described as 'virgins.' But what does that really mean in the context of the early church? It's more than just being unmarried.
The term 'virgins' here likely points to a life dedicated to God's service, separate from the responsibilities of marriage. This wasn't just a passive state but an active devotion.
When we hear 'prophesied,' we often think of predicting the future. But in the New Testament, this gift meant so much more.
The daughters of Philip possessed the gift of prophecy, which was a powerful way God communicated His message.
Understand the original words
prophēteuō · Greek Verb
The exercise of a spiritual gift wherein a person is moved by the Holy Spirit to declare a message from God to his people, which may include exhortation, edification, or predictions regarding the future.
The mention of Philip's daughters prophesying highlights the active role women played in the early church, exercising spiritual gifts in diverse ways, even as discussions about their public ministry continued.
c. AD 30-33
The Day of Pentecost
The Holy Spirit is poured out on believers in Jerusalem, empowering both men and women to prophesy and speak in other tongues, fulfilling Joel's prophecy.
c. AD 33-37
Philip the Evangelist's Ministry
Philip, one of the seven deacons, preaches the gospel with great success in Samaria and baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch, demonstrating the early spread of Christianity.
c. AD 40-50
Early Church Organization
The nascent Christian church develops structures and roles, including the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, as well as deacons and deaconesses.
c. AD 50-55
Paul's Letters on Church Order
Paul writes letters addressing the roles of women in the church, particularly regarding public teaching and prophesying, with differing instructions for Corinth and Ephesus.
This passage prophesies that God will pour out His Spirit on all people, and sons and daughters will prophesy, directly correlating with the fulfillment seen in Acts 2:17 and the specific example of Philip's daughters.
1 Corinthians 11:5Paul addresses the practice of women praying and prophesying in public worship, indicating that this gift was recognized and exercised by women in the early church, even amidst discussions about order and propriety.
Acts 2:17-18This passage marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, explicitly linking the gift of prophecy to both men and women, setting the stage for women like Philip's daughters to exercise this spiritual gift.
1 Timothy 2:11-12Paul instructs women to learn quietly and not to 'domineer over a man,' which scholars discuss in relation to the gift of prophecy, raising questions about where and how women exercised this gift within the church structure.
Luke 1:41-45The example of Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizing and speaking prophetically about Mary and her child, shows a precedent for women receiving and sharing divine messages even before Pentecost.
ellicottActs 21:9: "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."
(9) The same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. —Both elements of the description are full of interest as throwing light on the life of the Apostolic Church. (1) The four daughters were “virgins.” The word then, as afterwards, probably indicated, not merely the bare fact that they were as yet unmarried, but that they had devoted themselves, if not by irrevocable vows, yet by a steadfast purpose, to…
barnesActs 21:9: "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."
Which did prophesy - See the notes on Acts 2:17 ; Acts 11:27 . That females sometimes partook of the prophetic influence, and foretold future events, is evident from various places in the New Testament. See the notes on Acts 2:17 .
It's easy to skim over this detail, but these daughters weren't just "unmarried"; the Greek word suggests they had dedicated themselves to a life of service to God. Moreover, their "prophesying" likely encompassed more than just predicting the future, including inspired teaching or proclamation, revealing a dynamic role for women in the early church.
The Apostle Paul and his companions have just arrived in Caesarea and are staying with Philip, one of the seven deacons and an evangelist. They are with Philip's family as Agabus, a prophet from Judea, arrives and dramatically foretells Paul's upcoming imprisonment in Jerusalem. The narrative highlights the warm welcome Paul receives from Philip's household, including his four daughters who also possess the gift of prophecy.
The Apostle Paul and his companions have just arrived in Caesarea and are staying with Philip, one of the seven deacons and an evangelist. They are with Philip's family as Agabus, a prophet from Judea, arrives and dramatically foretells Paul's upcoming imprisonment in Jerusalem. The narrative highlights the warm welcome Paul receives from Philip's household, including his four daughters who also possess the gift of prophecy.
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c. AD 60— this verse
Paul's Journey to Jerusalem
The Apostle Paul, accompanied by others including Luke, travels towards Jerusalem, receiving prophetic warnings about his impending arrest and suffering.
c. AD 60
Arrival in Caesarea
Paul and his companions arrive in Caesarea Maritima and stay with Philip the evangelist, who has four daughters known for their prophetic gifts.
"He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied." — It's easy to skim over this detail, but these daughters weren't just "unmarried"; the Greek word suggests they had dedicated themselves to a life of service to God. Moreover, their "prophesying" like…