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.
Church Ages, part 3: The Ephesian Church Age
60-1205 §86
"Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitane."---become a doctrine. Now let's see what Paul... Now, whose church... Who founded this church now? Paul, Ephesus. Let's turn back now to Acts, the 20th chapter just a minute, in Acts the 20th chapter, and see what Paul... Do you believe Paul was a prophet? Sure he was. Certainly he was. Remember that night ... the vision on the stormy sea, and so forth? Now, and all about it. Now. The 20th chapter of St... of Acts, and let's begin now about the 27th verse, and listen close...
We would see Jesus
62-0712 §5
I believe that Paul was very fundamental, scriptural, in everything that he did. We all have to believe that because ... to believe the Bible. God would not ... permitted this man to write the Bible, the books in the Bible that he did. I believe Paul of the New Testament was like Moses of the Old. Paul was a missionary prophet to the Gentiles. Now, we're trusting that in this that people will understand that Paul... Where I think that he received it, that... You know Elisha one time, a great prophet of the Lord......
As I thought on my ways
59-0814 §65
Now, a prophet and a gift of prophecy is two different things. How many knows that? A gift of prophecy works through the church; a prophet is borned a prophet. Jeremiah was borned a prophet. Even before he was ever formed in his mother's womb, God made him a prophet, ordained him a prophet over the nations. John, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, Isaiah saw him: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." Jesus Christ was a woman's seed from the garden of Eden. He couldn't be nothing else but Jesu...
The Voice of the Sign
64-0214 §60
Paul---he had a sign. Let's watch him. Do you believe Paul was a prophet? Certainly was. Now notice. Paul came on the scene and saw a sign. What kind of a sign did he see? A pillar of fire, on his road to Damascus, being a Jew. Jesus had been (died) crucified; rose, ascended into heaven. And Paul was on his road down to Damascus, when a great light struck him down. And he cried, "Lord, who are You?" He said, "I'm Jesus." And he was told that he was called to be a chosen vessel. A chosen vessel. Now notice. What did...
The believer's position in Christ
55-0116A §17
When people says there is no more apostles and that same church send missionaries and say there is no apostles. I don't get it. But apostle is "one that's sent," so is a missionary, is one that is sent--sent by God. And Paul, not by desire, not by choice, not by the will of man, or his own humanly desires; but by the will of God, he was an apostle. We need some more, like that. By the will of God... He was on his road to Damascus to arrest, think of it, was going to arrest the very group that he was sent to be an a...