WG: Prophecy¶
Overview¶
The prophecy concept in the NT involves four cognate Greek words forming a single root cluster, with two key collocation partners. The core family derives from the compound προ- (before/forth) + φημί (speak), conveying inspired speech — whether predictive or declarative.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G4396 | προφήτης | prophētēs | masculine noun | 143 | The person — prophet, foreteller | G4396-prophetes.md |
| G4395 | προφητεύω | prophēteúō | verb | 27 | The act — to prophesy | TODO(need G4395 study) |
| G4394 | προφητεία | prophēteía | feminine noun | 19 | The message/gift — prophecy | G4394-propheteia.md |
| G4397 | προφητικός | prophētikós | adjective | 2 | The quality — prophetic | TODO(need G4397 study) |
| G4151 | πνεῦμα | pneûma | neuter noun | 350 | The source — Spirit of prophecy | G4151-pneuma.md |
| G1100 | γλῶσσα | glōssa | feminine noun | 47 | The contrast — tongues vs. prophecy | TODO(need G1100 study) |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- G4394, G4395, G4396, G4397 — all from the same compound root: προ- + φημί (speak)
- G4396 (prophet) is the primary noun; G4394 (prophecy) derives from it; G4395 (prophesy) is its verbal form; G4397 (prophetic) its adjectival form
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G4394 | G3056 (logos) | 5 | "words of this prophecy" — Revelation's closing formula |
| G4395 | G1100 (glōssa) | 5 | Acts/1 Cor — speaking in tongues alongside prophesying |
| G4396 | G3056 (logos) | 11 | "the prophet said / word of the prophet" |
| G4394 | G1100 | 4 | 1 Cor 12–14 spiritual gift comparisons |
| G4395 | G4151 | 4 | "filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied" |
| G4394 | G4151 | 3 | "spirit of prophecy" (Rev 19:10); Spirit as source (2 Pet 1:21) |
| G4396 | G4151 | 3 | Spirit-empowered prophets |
Key Multi-word Passages¶
- 1 Cor 12:10 — G4394 + G4151 + G1100: "to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues"
- Acts 19:6 — G4395 + G4151 + G1100: "the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied"
Hebrew Bridges¶
| Hebrew Word | Strong's | Greek Connection | Co-occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|
| נָבִיא (nābîyʼ — prophet) | H5030 | → G4396: 236; → G4395: 30; → G3056: 56 | Strong bridge to G4396 |
| נָבָא (nābāʼ — to prophesy) | H5012 | → G4395: 91; → G4396: 31 | Strong bridge to G4395 |
The noun G4394 (prophēteia) has a weak direct LXX bridge (only 3 co-occurrences with H5030); the concept is carried primarily by the personal noun (G4396 ↔ H5030) and the verb (G4395 ↔ H5012).
Roles in the Concept¶
- Person: G4396 prophētēs — who delivers the message (OT prophets; NT prophets; the Prophet)
- Act: G4395 prophēteúō — the activity of delivering inspired speech
- Message/Gift: G4394 prophēteía — the content or spiritual gift itself
- Quality: G4397 prophētikós — describing the scriptures or word as prophetic
- Source: G4151 pneûma — the Spirit as the origin and enabler (2 Pet 1:21; Rev 19:10)
- Contrast: G1100 glōssa — tongues, regularly paired with prophecy in charismatic contexts to distinguish the two gifts
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear¶
- 1 Cor 12:10 — prophecy (G4394), spirits, tongues (G1100), Spirit (G4151) — full gift-list context
- Acts 19:6 — prophesied (G4395), Holy Ghost (G4151), tongues (G1100) — experience at Ephesus
- Rev 19:10 — prophecy (G4394), spirit (G4151) — "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy"
- 2 Pet 1:19–21 — prophetic (G4397), prophecy (G4394), Spirit (G4151) — inspiration statement
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-04-02