Acts 21:9
in Acts 21He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.
KJV
And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
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This verse in Acts 21
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThe deacon Philip had daughters. But notice that his daughters were virgins and prophetesses, and that they attained through piety above all else to the point that they were even deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy. The writer would not have added that they …
This site's exposition
four unmarried daughters who prophesied
Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied, one household fulfilling the promise of Joel that Peter quoted at Pentecost. That promise named daughters as well as sons. Luke records the fact without describing their message.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
That Philip the apostle dwelt at Hierapolis with his daughters has been already stated. But it must be noted here that Papias, their contemporary, says that he heard a wonderful tale from the daughters of Philip. For he relates that in his time one rose from the dead.
In this epistle [to Victor, the bishop of Rome] he [Polycrates] mentions him [John] together with the apostle Philip and his daughters in the following words: "For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and moreover John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and being a priest wore the sacerdotal plate. He also sleeps at Ephesus." So much concerning their death. And in the Dialogue of Caius which we mentioned a little above, Proclus … speaks thus concerning the death of Philip and his daughters: "After him there were four prophetesses, the daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Their tomb is there and the tomb of their father." Such is his statement. But Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, mentions the daughters of Philip, who were at that time at Caesarea in Judea with their father and were honored with the gift of prophecy.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES · Written before 380.
proposed
And in our time the daughters of Philip:
"And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." But it is not these that foretell to Paul, though they were prophetesses; it is Agabus.
It should be noted that the daughters of the deacon Philip were prophetesses, so that it is possible for one who partakes in service to minister in marriages. Note also that his prophetic daughters were virgins, and that they practiced this more out of holiness, …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Here was a further accomplishment of that prophecy, Joel ii. 28 , of such a plentiful pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh that their sons and their daughters should prophesy, that is, foretel things to come.
And the same man had four daughters,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Which did prophesy - See the notes on Act 2:17; Act 11:27. That females sometimes partook of the prophetic influence, and foretold future events, is evident from various places in the New Testament. See the notes on Act 2:17.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
next day we that were of Paul's company departed--(The words "the were of Paul's company" are omitted in the best manuscripts. They were probably added as the connecting words at the head of some church lessons). and came to Cæsarea--a run along the coast, southward, of some thirty miles.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the same man had four daughters . . . which did prophesy--fulfilling Joe 2:28 (see Ac 2:18). This is mentioned, it would seem, merely as a high distinction divinely conferred on so devoted a servant of the Lord Jesus, and probably indicates the high tone of religion in his family.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy - Probably these were no more than teachers in the Church: for we have already seen that this is a frequent meaning of the word prophesy; and this is undoubtedly one thing intended by the prophecy of Joel, quoted Act 2:17, Act 2:18, of this book. If Philip’s daughters might be prophetesses, why not teachers?
The words behind it
7 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τούτῳ | touto | With this [man] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἦσαν | esan | there were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| θυγατέρες | thugateres | daughters | G2364 → | 28 times |
| τέσσαρες | tessares | four | G5064 → | 41 times |
| παρθένοι | parthenoi | virgins | G3933 → | |
| προφητεύουσαι.¶ | propheteuousai | prophesying. | G4395 → | 28 times |
τούτῳWith this [man]
toutoG3778 →1381 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἦσανthere were
esanG1510 →2333 times
θυγατέρεςdaughters
thugateresG2364 →28 times
τέσσαρεςfour
tessaresG5064 →41 times
παρθένοιvirgins
parthenoiG3933 →
προφητεύουσαι.¶prophesying.
propheteuousaiG4395 →28 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joel 2:28And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
it leads to
- Acts 2:16–21
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
- Ezekiel 39:29
And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
- Isaiah 32:15
until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.
- Acts 2:39
This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
- Acts 2:2–4
Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
- Acts 2:16–21
Through
Acts 2:17‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
it leads to
- Joel 2:28–32
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
- Titus 3:4–6
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
- Joel 2:28–32
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES; Eusebius of Caesarea, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.39.9; Eusebius of Caesarea, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.31.2-5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 45; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.