Acts 21:9

Four daughters. These women had the gift of prophecy (see on Acts 13:1; cf. 1 Cor. 14:1, 3, 4; Eph. 2:20; 4:11). The verb “prophesy” means to “speak forth,” that is, for God (see on Gen. 20:7; Matt. 11:9). A prophet may, or may not, foretell events. The Bible presents a number of instances where women have been entrusted with this most desirable of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:1). Miriam, the sister of Moses, was a prophetess (Ex. 15:20), as was Deborah, with whose inspired aid Barak conquered the Canaanites (Judges 4:4). Isaiah’s wife was a prophetess (Isa. 8:3), also Huldah, who aided Hilkiah the priest in the reforms of Josiah, king of Judah (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chron. 34:22). Anna the prophetess greeted her infant Lord (Luke 2:36-38). False prophetesses are also mentioned (Neh. 6:14; Rev. 2:20). Joel foretold the pouring out of the gift of prophecy in the latter times upon the “handmaids” (Joel 2:28, 29).