Was Apostle Paul a Prophet?
1) Direct Answer
Yes. Paul was an apostle-prophet—a sent messenger who received the Word by direct revelation and spoke it with prophetic authority.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Acts 13:1 shows Saul (Paul) listed among “prophets and teachers” at Antioch. That places him in a prophetic company from the start of his ministry.
- Galatians 1:11-12 and Ephesians 3:3-5 declare that his Gospel and the mystery were given “by revelation of Jesus Christ,” revealed to “His holy apostles and prophets.” Paul stood in that revelation realm.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1-7 records “visions and revelations of the Lord,” even being caught up to the third heaven—clear prophetic experience.
- Acts 16:9; 18:9-10; 23:11; 27:23-25 show repeated visions, angelic visitation, and accurate foretelling (the shipwreck deliverance) that came to pass—hallmarks of a prophet.
- 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul says, “the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord,” marking his words with divine, prophetic authority.
- Ephesians 2:20 shows the church built upon the foundation of “apostles and prophets.” Paul laid that foundation in doctrine, proving his foundational, prophetic role.
- 2 Peter 3:15-16 counts Paul’s writings with “the other scriptures,” confirming the inspired, prophetic nature of his message.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
A prophet is one to whom God reveals His Word and who speaks it by inspiration; an apostle is a sent one who lays foundation. Paul did both: he planted churches (apostolic) and received/declared the mystery by direct revelation with visions and fulfilled predictions (prophetic). Saying he was only an apostle ignores Acts 13:1 and his own testimony of revelation. If he wasn’t operating prophetically, why the visions, the angelic messages, the foretelling, and the claim that his writings are the Lord’s commandments?
4) Reinforcing Statement
You see, God set Paul as the pattern messenger to the Gentiles—an apostle with a prophet’s revelation—so the church could be founded solidly on the revealed Word.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Let us see God
59-1129 §61
Who was it the other night in our text, in Elisha, when a little baby had died of a sun stroke, and been laid for hours and hours on the prophet's bed, when a man, called "Elisha," walked back and forth, up-and-down the floor, and laid his body on that dead baby, and he come to life? That was God in His people. It certainly was. Who was it, that when Saint Peter, the apostle, a fisherman so ignorant... The Bible said, "He was ignorant and unlearned." Who was it, when he walked down along the streets, and people lai...
A Paradox
63-0801 §64
It was a strange thing that after his death, burial, and resurrection... And Saul---that little hook-nosed Jew, crabbed and nasty-tempered, and even put some of the church to death---on his road down to Damascus to arrest those people... And down there they had a prophet named Ananias, and was down there prophesying to them, a prophet of the Lord, telling them the Word of the Lord, because it come to him. And while Pastor Ananias was down there prophesying, Saul went down to get him. And right in the middle of the...
Melchisedec, the Great Prince and King
55-0109M §28
A few nights ago in a prayer meeting a man said to me, "The Holy Ghost wasn't given only to the twelve on the day of Pentecost." I said, "Well then, what about the hundred and twenty was there at the same time that received it? How about on down at the house of Cornelius when the Gentiles received it? Thirty-three years later when Paul asked the Baptists if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed, and he laid his hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost... Setting the church at Corinth in order...
Church Ages, part 8: The Philadelphian Church Age
60-1210 §104
Now let's get Ephesians 2:19, over at the church of Ephesus. You know, you have to go back to Ephesus. That was the beginning. Is that right? All right, let's go back to Ephesus, where Paul was---the church that he established. And let's see now where we're at. All right. The church of Ephesus... Let's go back now, and see what this foundation is back there, and see what Paul said about the foundation, back in that first church age there. Now he's talking to the Ephesians: Now therefore ye are no more strangers or...
Why?
63-0626 §41
...ng. You put that corner down here somewhere, you'll never get the building built. You've got to be laid on the foundation. And the foundation is the Bible---doctrine of the apostles, and prophets, and so forth, of the Bible. The king's own stubborn way---he just didn't want to stand down there. It wasn't very popular. God's real true way of living has never been popular. It never will be popular, "for the preaching of the gospel is foolishness to them that perish." Paul said, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus...