"a prophetess, a divinely gifted female teacher, Lk. 2:36; Rev. 2:20*"
Definition and meaning
a prophetess, a divinely gifted female teacher, Lk. 2:36; Rev. 2:20*
In the original Greek the word is written: προφῆτις
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of prophetis (G4398) across the King James Bible.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
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Common questions
Strong's G4398 (prophetis) is a Greek word that means: a prophetess, a divinely gifted female teacher, Lk. 2:36; Rev. 2:20* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word prophetis (G4398) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4398 is prophetis, a Greek word defined as: a prophetess, a divinely gifted female teacher, Lk. 2:36; Rev. 2:20*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
prophetis is a Greek word found in the New Testament.