He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
- KJV And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
- NKJV Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
- NASB Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.
- NLT He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Philip has four unmarried daughters who prophesy. Their gift shows the Spirit's work among women in the early church.
Overview
The mention of Philip's four prophesying daughters illustrates the fulfillment of Joel's promise, cited at Pentecost, that sons and daughters would prophesy. Their ministry reflects the Spirit's gifting poured out on God's people, women included. The detail honors a faithful household devoted to the Lord's service.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 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.
- Rev 2:20But 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.
- Exod 15:20Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Joel 2:28And 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 2:36There 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,
- Judg 4:4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
- Acts 13:1Now 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.
- Neh 6:14O 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.
- 1 Cor 11:4–5Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
- 2 Kgs 22:14So 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.
- 1 Cor 7:25–34Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
- 1 Cor 7:38So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 21:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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