The answer
The word “prophet” is derived from the verb “to prophecy.” He is the person who speaks, or writes, what is in his heart, without this being from himself or from his own thoughts, but is derived from the counsel of God’s Holy Spirit.45
Holy Scripture mentions more than 40 prophet, 16 of whom wrote prophetic books in the Old Testament. This is in addition to the names of some female prophets, such as Miriam, the sister of Moses the Prophet (Exod. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), etc.
The prophets are typically men of the Most High God, who were sent throughout the ages in order to relay certain messages to the people. This was done through rebuking, warning, teaching, or otherwise. Some declared their message orally, and some through writing.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Notes
45 Translator’s note: nabiy’, n.: a prophet. With the idea of a prophet there was this necessarily attached, that he spoke not his own words, but those which he had divinely received, and that he was the messenger of God, and the declarer of His will. (cf. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon.).
Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 133–134.
The pages in the book (133–134)
