Act 13:52 | TNotes | STEP | 13:52 Despite probable harassment and persecution, the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (cp. 5:41 ; 16:23-25 ; Matt 5:10-12 ; 2 Cor 8:2 ; 1 Thes 1:6 ). Thematic note: The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21 ; see Joel 2:28-32 ). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28 ; 13:1 ; 15:32 ; 21:9-11 ; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11 ; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32 ; Isa 20:2-6 ; Jer 13:1-11 ; Ezek 4:1–5:17 ) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28 ; 21:10-11 ). Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9 ). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5 ). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20 ), Deborah (Judg 4:4 ), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20 ; 2 Chr 34:22-28 ). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18 ). Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23 ; 21:10-11 ; see Rom 9:24-33 ; 1 Thes 4:13-17 ; 2 Thes 2:3-4 ), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32 ; 19:6 ; Rom 12:6 ; 1 Cor 14:3-4 , 29-33 ; Rev 19:10 ). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11 ; Eph 4:11-13 ). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22 ). Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21 ), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1 ; see also Rev 2:20-23 ). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it. Passages for Further Study Exod 15:20 ; Deut 13:1-5 ; Judg 4:4 ; 1 Kgs 11:29-32 ; 2 Kgs 22:14-20 ; Isa 20:2-6 ; 44:25 ; Jer 13:1-11 ; 23:25-32 ; Ezek 4:1-17 ; 13:2-9 ; Joel 2:28-32 ; Matt 7:15 ; 24:24 ; Acts 2:17-21 ; 11:27-28 ; 13:1 ; 15:32 ; 19:6 ; 20:23 ; Acts 21:9-11 ; Rom 12:6 ; 1 Cor 11:5 ; 12:4-11 ; 14:1-40 ; Eph 4:11-13 ; 1 Thes 5:19-21 ; 2 Pet 2:1 ; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ; Rev 2:20-23 ; 19:10

13:52 ^a Despite probable harassment and persecution, the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (cp. 5:41 ^b; 16:23-25 ^c; Matt 5:10-12 ^d; 2 Cor 8:2 ^e; 1 Thes 1:6 ^f).

Thematic note: The Gift of Prophecy
As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21 ^g; see Joel 2:28-32 ^h). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28 ⁱ; 13:1 ^j; 15:32 ^k; 21:9-11 ^l; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11 ^m; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32 ⁿ; Isa 20:2-6 ^o; Jer 13:1-11 ^p; Ezek 4:1–5:17 ^q) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28 ^r; 21:10-11 ^s).
Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9 ^t). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5 ^u). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20 ^v), Deborah (Judg 4:4 ^w), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20 ^x; 2 Chr 34:22-28 ^y). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18 ^z).
Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23 ^aa; 21:10-11 ^ab; see Rom 9:24-33 ^ac; 1 Thes 4:13-17 ^ad; 2 Thes 2:3-4 ^ae), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32 ^af; 19:6 ^ag; Rom 12:6 ^ah; 1 Cor 14:3-4 ^ai, 29-33 ^aj; Rev 19:10 ^ak). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11 ^al; Eph 4:11-13 ^am). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22 ^an).
Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21 ^ao), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1 ^ap; see also Rev 2:20-23 ^aq). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.

Passages for Further Study
Exod 15:20 ^ar; Deut 13:1-5 ^as; Judg 4:4 ^at; 1 Kgs 11:29-32 ^au; 2 Kgs 22:14-20 ^av; Isa 20:2-6 ^aw; 44:25 ^ax; Jer 13:1-11 ^ay; 23:25-32 ^az; Ezek 4:1-17 ^ba; 13:2-9 ^bb; Joel 2:28-32 ^bc; Matt 7:15 ^bd; 24:24 ^be; Acts 2:17-21 ^bf; 11:27-28 ^bg; 13:1 ^bh; 15:32 ^bi; 19:6 ^bj; 20:23 ^bk; Acts 21:9-11 ^bl; Rom 12:6 ^bm; 1 Cor 11:5 ^bn; 12:4-11 ^bo; 14:1-40 ^bp; Eph 4:11-13 ^bq; 1 Thes 5:19-21 ^br; 2 Pet 2:1 ^bs; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ^bt; Rev 2:20-23 ^bu; 19:10 ^bv