Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Prophesying?

10 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Prophesying in the Bible

What does the Bible say about prophesying? Browse 16 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.

10
Total Verses
6
Old Testament
4
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Prophesying

  1. 1
    Numbers 11:25
    And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders : and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
    KJV
  2. 2
    Isaiah 9:6
    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Jeremiah 1:5
    Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. ordained: Heb. gave
    KJV
  4. 4
    Ezekiel 37:4
    Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
    KJV
  5. 5
    Joel 2:28
    And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
    KJV
  6. 6
    Amos 3:7
    Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Matthew 7:21
    Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
    KJV
  8. 8
    Luke 3:16
    John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
    KJV
  9. 9
    Acts 2:1
    And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
    KJV
  10. 10
    Romans 12:6
    Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
    KJV

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Prophesying? (6 Verses)

And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders : and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. ordained: Heb. gave
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Prophesying? (4 Verses)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

How to Study What the Bible Says About Prophesying

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about prophesying. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about prophesying and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about prophesying is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on prophesying needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about prophesying with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about prophesying, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Prophesying?

You have studied 10 verses about prophesying. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about prophesying?
What does the Bible say about prophesying? Browse 16 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme. The Bible contains 10 key verses about prophesying spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about prophesying are there?
There are 10 key Bible verses about prophesying compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about prophesying?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about prophesying is Numbers 11:25 — "And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders : and it came to ..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about prophesying?
Prophesying is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 10 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Prophesying