Word Study for G4394 (προφητεία)

prophēteía /prof-ay-ti'-ah/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom προφήτης ("prophecy")

Meaningprediction (scriptural or other)

KJV usageprophecy, prophesying.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of prophēteía — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word prophēteía, represented by G4394, denotes a prediction, specifically a prophecy or the act of prophesying. It appears 19 times across 19 unique verses in the Bible. The term is derived from προφήτης ("prophecy") and refers to both scriptural and other forms of prediction, highlighting its role as a key channel of divine communication.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G4394 is presented in several significant contexts. It is frequently identified as a spiritual gift given to the church (Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10). The book of Revelation refers to its own content as a prophecy, with blessings for those who hear and keep its words Revelation 1:3 and warnings for those who alter them Revelation 22:18. The ultimate source of prophecy is defined not as human will, but as holy men of God speaking as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Peter 1:21. It is also stated that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" Revelation 19:10, linking it directly to Christ.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the nature and function of prophecy:

G4151 pneûma (spirit): This word is central to understanding the origin of prophecy. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy Revelation 19:10, and prophecy is delivered by holy men moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Peter 1:21.
G5486 chárisma (gift): This term identifies prophecy as a divine gratuity or spiritual endowment. Believers are described as having gifts that differ, including the gift of prophecy 1 Timothy 4:14, which should be used with faith Romans 12:6.
G1124 graphḗ (scripture): This word connects prophecy to the written, holy Word of God. It is explicitly stated that "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation" 2 Peter 1:20, indicating that prophecy can be part of the sacred text.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4394 is significant, establishing key principles of divine communication.

Divine Origin and Authority: Prophecy is not of human will but is given by God through the Holy Spirit 2 Peter 1:21. As a result, it is not to be despised 1 Thessalonians 5:20 and, when recorded in a book like Revelation, carries a divine warning against alteration Revelation 22:18-19.
A Gift for Believers: As a spiritual gift, prophesying serves those who believe, not those who do not believe 1 Corinthians 14:22. It is listed among other gifts intended to profit the church, such as revelation, knowledge, and doctrine 1 Corinthians 14:6.
Christocentric Focus: The essence of prophecy is centered on Christ, as "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" Revelation 19:10. This establishes that true prophecy ultimately bears witness to Him.

Summary

In summary, G4394 defines much more than simple prediction. It is a Spirit-imparted gift, a means by which God communicates His will and truth. Whether delivered orally or recorded as scripture, prophecy serves to edify the church, bears authoritative testimony to Jesus Christ, and must be treated as sacred. Its value is underscored by the instruction not to neglect it 1 Timothy 4:14 but to use it for the good of believers.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 19 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Genitive Singular Feminine 8×
Nominative Singular Feminine 5×
Accusative Plural Feminine 2×
Accusative Singular Feminine 2×
Dative Singular Feminine 1×
Nominative Plural Feminine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 19 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (7 verses); never once in the other 20.

Matthew

Romans

1 Corinthians

1 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Peter

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.