In brief
The daughters of Philip are four young women of Caesarea, daughters of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven men chosen for service in the Jerusalem church. Luke mentions them in a single verse, near the end of Paul's third missionary journey: they were virgins and prophesied (Acts 21:9). The Bible gives neither their names nor any of their words. What we remember is the fulfillment of Joel's promise, quoted by Peter: your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
What does the name The Daughters of Philip mean?
The Bible does not give their names: Luke refers to them only as the four virgin daughters of Philip (Acts 21:9). Their father, Philip, bears a Greek name generally linked to the meaning “lover of horses.”
The story of The Daughters of Philip
A father who served and evangelized
Acts 6:5; 8:5-40Their father, Philip, is one of the seven men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom chosen to serve at the tables in the Jerusalem church. Scattered by persecution, he preaches Christ in Samaria, then baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza. Luke later notes that he evangelizes all the towns as far as Caesarea, where we find him years afterward.
A house open to Paul
Acts 21:7-8On their way to Jerusalem, Paul and his companions arrive in Caesarea. They enter the house of Philip the evangelist and stay there several days. Philip, once scattered from Jerusalem by the persecution in which Saul took part, now welcomes the apostle Paul into his home. It is in this family setting that Luke mentions his daughters.
Four daughters who prophesied
Acts 21:9Luke simply writes: “Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.” The text reports none of their words and does not say how they exercised this gift. It stresses only that, in this house, four unmarried young women received and passed on words from God within the church of Caesarea.
Agabus and the announcement of chains
Acts 21:10-14During this stay, the prophet Agabus comes down from Judea, takes Paul's belt and announces that he will be bound in Jerusalem. Paul's companions and the people of that place beg him not to go up. Paul answers that he is ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus, and everyone concludes: “The Lord’s will be done.”
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What The Daughters of Philip teaches us
- God pours out his Spirit on his daughters as on his sons, and he can use each one to build up his church.
- A home that serves God can pass on faith and service from one generation to the next.
- The hospitality of a Christian family can strengthen God's servants in times of great trial.
- Being mentioned in a single verse of the Bible reminds us that God sees and honors quiet faithfulness.
Key verses
The only verse that speaks of them. It presents four virgin daughters who prophesied, in their father's house at Caesarea, without reporting their words.
At Pentecost, Peter quotes the prophet Joel: your sons and your daughters will prophesy. The daughters of Philip show this promise lived out in a local church.
Paul describes the purpose of prophecy in the church: the one who prophesies speaks to people, building them up, encouraging them and comforting them.
Frequently asked questions
How many daughters did Philip the evangelist have?
Luke indicates that Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, had four virgin daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). They lived with him in Caesarea when Paul and his companions stayed there, shortly before the apostle's arrest in Jerusalem. The Bible does not give their names.
What does it mean that they “prophesied”?
The text does not detail their ministry. In the New Testament, to prophesy is to pass on a word received from God to build up, encourage and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). Peter had announced, quoting Joel, that sons and daughters would prophesy (Acts 2:17). The daughters of Philip are a concrete example.
Where is the story of the daughters of Philip found in the Bible?
They appear in Acts 21:8-9, during Paul's stay in Caesarea. To understand the context, you can also read Acts 6:1-7 on the choosing of the seven, Acts 8 on the ministry of their father Philip, and the rest of Acts 21 with Agabus's prophecy.