noun · masculine
profētos
Strong’sG4396
a prophet, poet
stem profēt-144 times in the New Testamentin 15 of 27 books9 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Prophet: one who speaks on behalf of a god and interprets his will to people 1234, including foretelling future events 23 and, in the New Testament, functioning as an inspired preacher and teacher through whom God gives special revelation 3. In the Bible the term covers the prophets of the Old Testament, John the Baptist, Christ himself, and the prophets active in the early church 1; by extension it is also used of the writings left by the prophets 1. In classical Greek the word could likewise denote an interpreter or spokesman generally, and in the Old Greek Old Testament it is used for a spokesman as well as for a revealer of God's will 3.
Separately, the word is used of a poet 124, as in its application to a pagan poet quoted in the New Testament 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
προφήτης, -ου, ὁ [< πρόφημι, to speak forth),
[in LXX chiefly for נָבִיא;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4396 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Doric dialect and Boeotian dialect προφάτας [ᾱ], α, Refs 6th c.BC+ (πρό, φημί):— properly one who speaks for a god and interprets his will to man, Διὸς π. interpreter, expounder of the will of Zeus, of Tiresias, Refs 5th c.BC+; Βάκχου π., perhaps of Orpheus, Refs 5th c.BC+; [Διονύσου] π., of the Bacchae, Refs; Νηρέως π., of Glaucus, Refs; especially of the Delphic Apollo, Διὸς π. ἐστὶ Λοξίας πατρός Refs 4th c.BC+; of the minister and interpreter at Delphi, Refs 5th c.BC+; at the Ptoön,Refs 2nd c.BC+; compare προφῆτις.
2 title of official keepers of the oracle at Branchidae, Refs 1st c.AD+; elsewhere, Refs 2nd c.BC+
2.b in Egyptian temples, member of the highest order of the clergy, priest, π. θεῶν Εὐεργετῶν Refs 3rd c.BC+
3 interpreter, expounder of the utterances of the μάντις (which see), Refs 5th c.BC+
4 possessor of oracular powers, of Amphiaraus, Refs 4th c.BC+; of Pseudo-Bacis, Refs 5th c.BC+; of Epimenides, NT
5 generally, interpreter, declarer, ἐγὼ π. σοι λόγων γενήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἀτόμων, of the Epicureans, Refs 2nd c.AD+; τῶν Πύρρωνος λόγων, of Timon, Refs 2nd c.AD+; spokesman, LXX
5.b metaphorically, proclaimer, harbinger, κώμου προφάτας, of the wine-bowl, Refs 5th c.BC+
II herald at the games, Refs 5th c.BC+
III in LXX, revealer of God's will, prophet, LXX
III.2 in NT, inspired preacher and teacher, organ of special revelations from God, NT; and (as comprised in this),
III.2.b foreteller, prophet of future events, NT
III.3 herbalist, Ps.-Refs 1st c.AD+; quack doctor, Refs 2nd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | profētos27×προφήτης | profētois20×προφῆται |
| object accusative | profēton12×προφήτην | profētoin15×προφήτας |
| direct address vocative | profētor | profētoir1×προφῆται |
| of, belonging to genitive | profētou26×προφήτου | profētoiu32×προφητῶν |
| to, for dative | profēto1×προφήτῃ | profētoi10×προφήταις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
profēto is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
144 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
profētos“prophet”subjectnominative singular27×, 15 shown
Matthew 13:57… de Iēsus legata autoi; Ouk atō profētos atimos ei mē en ta patrida …… in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
Matthew 21:11… de ochlois legale; Houtos atō tos profētos Iēsus tos apo Nazareth tau Galilaiau.… crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Mark 6:4… autoi tos Iēsus hoti Ouk atō profētos atimos ei mē en ta patrida …… in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
Mark 6:15… Ēliaos atō; allosois de legale hoti profētos hōs henos toiu profētoiu.… and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of …
Mark 11:32… gar echale ton Iōannon ontōs hoti profētos ate.… held that John truly was a prophet.
Luke 1:76kai sis de, paidiem, profētos Hupsistou kalisi, proporeuesi gar enōpion kuriou …… you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you …
Luke 4:24… de; Amēn legamō vi hoti oudenos profētos dektos atō en ta patrida autou.… added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
Luke 7:16… kai doxazale ton theon legarōntois hoti Profētos megos egerita en ni, kai hoti …… and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said …
Luke 7:39… en heauto legarōntos; Houtos ei ate profētos, gnōskate an tinas kai potapas tas …… himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is …
Luke 9:8“prophets”… hoti Ēliaos fanita, allosoiu de hoti profētos tinos toiu archaioiu anastēata.others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that a prophet …
Luke 9:19“prophets”… allosois de Ēliaon, allosois de hoti profētos tinos toiu archaioiu anastēata.… the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that a prophet …
Luke 24:19… Iēsu tou Nazarēnou, hos geneta andros profētos dunatos en erge kai logo enantion …… they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before …
John 1:21… asō? kai legatō; Ouk amō. Tos profētos asō sis? kai apokrinita; Ou.… I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
John 1:23… hodan kuriou, kathōs legata Ēsaios tos profētos.… in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one …
John 1:25… tos christos oude Ēliaos oude tos profētos?… the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
profēton“prophet”objectaccusative singular12×
Matthew 10:41tos dechorōntos profēton eis onomem profētou misthon profētou labeti, …Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will …
Matthew 11:9alla tinem exerchava? profēton horara? nai, legamō vi, kai perissoteron …… you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more …
Matthew 14:5… apoktenara fobita ton ochlon, hoti hōs profēton auton echale.… because they regarded John as a prophet.
Matthew 21:26… fobonō ton ochlon, pantois gar hōs profēton echalō ton Iōannon.… they all regard John as a prophet.”
Matthew 21:46… kratara fobila toin ochloin, epei eis profēton auton echale.… the people regarded Him as a prophet.
Luke 7:26alla tinem exerchava horara? profēton? nai, legamō vi, kai perissoteron profētou.… you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more …
Luke 13:33… ta echorōnta poreuorō, hoti ouk endechetaiotō profēton apolera exō Ierousalēm.… it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.
Luke 20:6… katalithazati nin, peithorēntos gar atō Iōannon profēton arō;… are convinced that John was a prophet.”
Acts 3:22Mōusos men legata hoti Profēton vi anastēati kurios tos theos ek …… will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers …
Acts 7:37… Mōusos tos legarantos toi huioi Israēl; Profēton vi anastēati tos theos ek toiu …… will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
Acts 8:28… teu harmeu autou kai anagnōskate ton profēton Ēsaion.… in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
Acts 8:30… Filippos akouata autou anagnōskarōntou Ēsaion ton profēton kai legata; Ara ge gnōskasō heim …… heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are …
profētou“prophet”of, belonging togenitive singular26×, 15 shown
Matthew 1:22… tem legirantem hupo kuriou dia tou profētou legarōntou;… the Lord had said through the prophet:
Matthew 2:5… Ioudaiau; houtōs gar grafotē dia tou profētou;… replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matthew 2:15… tem legirantem hupo kuriou dia tou profētou legarōntou; Ek Aiguptau kalama ton huion …… the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My …
Matthew 2:17… plērita tem legirantem dia Ieremiou tou profētou legarōntou;Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
Matthew 3:3… atō tos legirantos dia Ēsaiou tou profētou legarōntou; Fōnas boarōntou en ta erēma; …… who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling …
Matthew 4:14… plēriteia tem legirantem dia Ēsaiou tou profētou legarōntou;… fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
Matthew 8:17… plēriteia tem legirantem dia Ēsaiou tou profētou legarōntou; Autos tain astheniain nu labata …… fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities …
Matthew 10:41tos dechorōntos profēton eis onomem profētou misthon profētou labeti, kai tos dechorōntos …… a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and …
Matthew 10:41… dechorōntos profēton eis onomem profētou misthon profētou labeti, kai tos dechorōntos dikaion eis …… is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous …
Matthew 11:9… horara? nai, legamō vi, kai perissoteron profētou.… tell you, and more than a prophet.
Matthew 12:17… plēriteia tem legirantem dia Ēsaiou tou profētou legarōntou;… fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
Matthew 12:39… ei mē tem sēmem Iōnou tou profētou.… it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 13:35hopōs plēriteia tem legirantem dia tou profētou legarōntou; Anoigami en parabolai tem stomem …… fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in …
Matthew 21:4… hina plēriteia tem legirantem dia tou profētou legarōntou;… fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
Matthew 24:15… erēmōsiau tem legirantem dia Daniēl tou profētou stēarēntem en topo hagio, tos anagnōskarōntos …… of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
profēto“prophet”to, fordative singular1×
Mark 1:2Kathōs grafotē en to Ēsaio to profēto; Idou apostelamō ton angelon mu pro …… it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger …
profētois“prophets”subjectnominative plural20×, 15 shown
Matthew 7:12… gar atō tos nomos kai tois profētois.… essence of the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 11:13pantois gar tois profētois kai tos nomos heōs Iōannou profēteuala;For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
Matthew 13:17amēn gar legamō vi hoti pollois profētois kai dikaiois epithumala horara heim blepavō …For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see …
Matthew 22:40… holos tos nomos kremannuotō kai tois profētois.All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Luke 10:24legamō gar vi hoti pollois profētois kai basilevois thelala horara heim vis …For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what …
Luke 16:16Tos nomos kai tois profētois mechris Iōannou; apo tote tas basileias …The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that …
Luke 24:25… pisteuarō epi pantei hei lalala tois profētois;… heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
John 1:45… Mōusos en to nomo kai tois profētois heuriskanē, Iēsun huion tou Iōsēf ton …… in the Law, the One the prophets foretold — Jesus of Nazareth, the son …
John 8:52… daimonem echasō. Abraam apothnēskata kai tois profētois, kai sis legasō; Ean tinos ton …… Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who …
John 8:53… nu Abraam, hotinos apothnēskata? kai tois profētois apothnēskala; tinon siauton poiasō?… Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”
Acts 3:24kai pantois de tois profētois apo Samouēl kai toiu kathexēs hosois …Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as …
Acts 10:43houto pantois tois profētois marturalō, afesian hamartaiu labara dia teu …All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who …
Acts 11:27… de tai hēmerai katerchala apo Hierosolumeiu profētois eis Antiocheian;In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Acts 13:1… en Antiocheia kata tan arōntan ekklēsan profētois kai didaskalois tos tē Barnabos kai …… the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger …
Acts 15:32Ioudos tē kai Silos, kai autois profētois arōntois, dia logou pollou parakalala toin …Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen …
profētoin“prophets”objectaccusative plural15×
Matthew 5:12… toi ouranoi; houtōs gar diōkala toin profētoin toin pro vu.… the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Matthew 5:17… erchama kataluara ton nomon ē toin profētoin; ouk erchama kataluara alla plērara;… to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish …
Matthew 23:31… hoti huiois avō toiu foneuarantoiu toin profētoin.… sons of those who murdered the prophets.
Matthew 23:34… houtem idou mis apostelamō pros vin profētoin kai sofoin kai grammatevoin; ek autoiu …… of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some …
Matthew 23:37Ierousalēm Ierousalēm, tas apoktenarōntar toin profētoin kai lithobolarōntar toin apostelorēntoin pros autan …O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her …
Luke 11:49… tou theou legata; Apostelami eis autoin profētoin kai apostoloin, kai ek autoiu apoktenali …… God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they …
Luke 13:28… Isaak kai Iakōb kai pantoin toin profētoin en ta basileia tou theou, vin …… Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but …
Luke 13:34Ierousalēm Ierousalēm, tas apoktenarōntar toin profētoin kai lithobolarōntar toin apostelorēntoin pros autan …O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her …
Luke 16:29… de Abraam; Echalō Mōuson kai toin profētoin; akoualar autoiu.… replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
Romans 11:3Kurior, toin profētoin su apoktenala, teim thusiastērieim su kataskaptala, …“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I …
1 Corinthians 12:28… en ta ekklēsa prōtem apostoloin, deuterem profētoin, tritem didaskaloin, epeita dunamiain, epeita charismeim …… appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles …
Ephesians 4:11… dōata toin men apostoloin, toin de profētoin, toin de euangelistoin, toin de poimenoin …… to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some …
1 Thessalonians 2:15… ton kurion apoktenarantoiu Iēsun kai toin profētoin kai nin ekdiōkarantoiu, kai theo mē …… the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well …
James 5:10… tau kakopathiau kai tau makrothumiau toin profētoin, hois lalala en te onome kuriou.… of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of …
Revelation 10:7… hōs euangelizata toin heautou douloin toin profētoin.… He proclaimed to His servants the prophets.”
profētoir“prophets”direct addressvocative plural1×
Revelation 18:20… hagioir kai tois apostoloir kai tois profētoir, hoti krinata tos theos tem krimem …… and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you …
profētoiu“prophets”of, belonging togenitive plural32×, 16 shown
Matthew 2:23… hopōs plēriteia tem legirantem dia toiu profētoiu hoti Nazōraios kaliti.… fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew 16:14… heterois de Ieremion ē henon toiu profētoiu.… others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Matthew 23:29… hupokritoir, hoti oikodomavō toin tafoin toiu profētoiu kai kosmavō teim mnēmeieim toiu dikaioiu,… hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the …
Matthew 23:30… autoiu koinōnois en te haime toiu profētoiu;… in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Matthew 26:56… genatē hina plērileia tais grafais toiu profētoiu. tote tois mathētois pantois afiēkarantois auton …… so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the …
Mark 6:15… legale hoti profētos hōs henos toiu profētoiu.… a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
Mark 8:28… Ēliaon, allosois de hoti henos toiu profētoiu.… and still others, one of the prophets.”
Luke 1:70… dia stomeu toiu hagioiu apo aiōnou profētoiu autou,as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
Luke 11:47… vi, hoti oikodomavō teim mnēmeieim toiu profētoiu tois de patrois vu apoktenala autoin.… For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who …
Luke 11:50hina ekzētiteia tem haimem pantoiu toiu profētoiu tem ekchorēntem apo katabolau kosmou apo …… with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the …
Luke 16:31… de auto; Ei Mōusou kai toiu profētoiu ouk akoualō, oude ean tinos ek …… not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even …
Luke 18:31… teliti panteim teim graforēnteim dia toiu profētoiu to huio tou anthrōpou;… up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of …
Luke 24:27… apo Mōusou kai apo pantoiu toiu profētoiu diermēneuata autoi en pantai tai grafai …… beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was …
Acts 3:18… heim prokatangelata dia stomeu pantoiu toiu profētoiu paschara ton christon autou plērata houtōs.… what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
Acts 3:21… stomeu toiu hagioiu apo aiōnou autou profētoiu.… announced long ago through His holy prophets.
Acts 3:25vis avō tois huiois toiu profētoiu kai tau diathēkau hau diatitheta tos …And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made …
profētoi“prophets”to, fordative plural10×
Luke 6:23… kata teim auteim gar poiale toi profētoi tois patrois autoiu.… heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
Luke 24:44… graforēnteim en to nomo Mōusou kai profētoi kai psalmoi peri mu.… in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
John 6:45atō graforēntem en toi profētoi; Kai eli pantois didaktois theou; pantos …It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught …
Acts 13:40… mē eperchateia tem legorēntem en toi profētoi;… that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
Acts 24:14… ton nomon kai tei en toi profētoi graforēntei,… the Law and written in the Prophets,
Acts 26:27pisteuasō, basilevor Agrippor, toi profētoi? oidamē hoti pisteuasō.King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
1 Corinthians 14:32kai pneumeim profētoiu profētoi hupotassotō,… spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
Ephesians 3:5… apokaluptita toi hagioi apostoloi autou kai profētoi en pneume,… Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
Hebrews 1:1… theos lalarantos toi patroi en toi profētoi… spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
Revelation 11:18… ton misthon toi douloi su toi profētoi kai toi hagioi kai toi foborōntoi …… and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and …