Do We Have Prophets in the New Testament?
1) Direct answer
Yes. The New Testament has prophets, and God still sets prophets in the Church today. They do not add new Scripture, but they call God’s people back to the written Word, reveal what is hidden, warn, and edify the Body.
2) Scriptural explanation
- God placed prophets in the Church: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets…” (1 Corinthians 12:28). “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets… for the perfecting of the saints… till we all come… unto a perfect man” (Ephesians 4:11-13). We have not yet arrived at that global perfection, so the ministry remains.
- New Testament examples: Prophets and teachers in Antioch (Acts 13:1). Agabus who foretold famine and Paul’s bonds (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11). Judas and Silas, “being prophets also themselves” (Acts 15:32). Philip’s four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9).
- Order and testing: “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge” (1 Corinthians 14:29). “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). The standard is the Word: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). If a thing is spoken in the Name of the Lord and does not come to pass, don’t fear it (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
- End-time promise: “Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things” (Matthew 17:11; see Malachi 4:5-6). That points to a prophetic ministry before the great and dreadful day of the Lord—a restoring call back to the original Word, not the writing of a new Bible. Revelation 10:7 shows that in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be finished—again, not adding Scripture, but bringing to light what God already gave.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- If Jesus “gave” prophets for the Church “till we all come” to full maturity, then prophets continue until that purpose is fulfilled.
- The same Holy Spirit who inspired prophecy in Acts has not changed. Therefore the gifts and offices He set remain, with the same Bible standard of judgment.
- True prophecy never contradicts Scripture, never leads to sin or pride, and always exalts Jesus Christ and holiness. False prophecy fails the Word test, the fruit test, and the fulfillment test.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bible does not tell us to reject prophecy; it tells us not to despise it, but to judge it by the Word. A true New Testament prophet will point the Bride back to the written Word, reveal the secrets of the heart, and prepare a people for the coming of the Lord.
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Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
56-0225 §26
Now, let's go back to the beginning. Now, when they were first called saints, was in the New Testament. We're speaking in the New Testament; I believe, Luke 16:16 said that the law and prophets were until John: and since then the kingdom of God's been preached. Now, we'll have to find out John was just the arch, or the breach between law and grace, when he came to breach the way. And he done no miracles at all; he was a great preacher of repentance. Did you know them spirits still return? You believe that? Sure, ce...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §114
Now, but then, the circumcision of the Old Testament was in the flesh; but in this New Testament, Joel said, "I'll pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." Now, the word prophesy does not mean to "teach." The prophesy means to either "tell an experience, under inspiration," or "foretell something that's fixing to take place." And we know that there was prophetesses in the Old Testament. They never could speak out in the building, speak out in the church, in the congregati...
Gifts
56-1207 §20
Now, gifts and callings are without repentance. God all through the ages has been represented on the earth through His prophets, through His kings. And it's always been the Spirit of God. If we had the time tonight to go down like to Joseph, dig out those nuggets and polish them up. I love... I'm a typologist, and I love to get the old types. Not having an education, then I have to go to types, because types... If I saw the type... If I was watching in my shadow, and I never seen myself, and I seen what my shadow l...
One man's influence on another
62-1013 §23
This is quite a undertaking when we think of what it's going to mean as we study this vision of Isaiah. I've always liked Isaiah. He was one of the major prophets. Isaiah wrote the complete Bible. There is sixty-six books in the Bible, and Isaiah wrote sixty-six chapters. He begins with the beginning of creation; in the middle of the book he brings forth the New Testament and John the Baptist; and at the 56th and 60th chapter he ends up in the great millennium: Genesis through the New Testament into Revelation. Gre...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
55-0806 §29
Notice, now, he said to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Well, if it takes New Testament, we'll have to start back from the beginning of the New Testament. The first one, the mediator between the Old and New was John the Baptist. And he was a short lived life which only lasted just as the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord---six months of preaching. And when Jesus came, he was considered, John was, the greatest of all the prophets, because the...