The Holy Spirit
Healing, prophecy and the other gifts of the Spirit in the churches, and how they were tested and kept in order.
Each row is one claim. Each name is a writer, placed at the date of the passage. Select a name to read what they said.
11 of the 16 writers here teach: “Gifts of the Spirit still operate in the churches.” 1 reject it. They answer a rival view: “A new prophetic circle alone owns the Paraclete.” Living gifts, contested prophecy, then quieter signs.
teaches it partly rejects it later writer, summary only
Gifts of the Spirit still operate in the churches11 teach · 1 reject
Prophetic claims must be tested by life and assembly order7 teach
A new prophetic circle alone owns the Paraclete5 reject
Spectacular baptismal signs were then common; now they are rare or gone2 teach
If he teaches so as to add righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. Concerning apostles and prophets, act according to the decree of the gospel. Every apostle who comes to you is to be received as the Lord.
Ὃς ἂν οὑν ἐλθὼν διδάξῃ ὑμᾶς ταῦτα πάντα τὰ προειρημένα, δέξασθε αὐτόν:
Everyone who comes in the name of the Lord is to be received. But then test him, and you will know him, for you will have understanding to distinguish right from left. If the one who comes is just passing through, help him as much as you can.
Πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου δεχθήτω: ἔπειτα δὲ δοκιμάσαντες αὐτὸν γνώσεσθε, σύνεσιν γὰρ ἕξετε δεξιὰν καὶ ἀριστεράν.
Every true prophet who wants to settle among you deserves his food. In the same way, a true teacher also deserves his food, just like a worker.
Πᾶς δὲ προφήτης ἀληθινὸς θέλων καθῆσθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄξιός ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ.
So appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons who are worthy of the Lord—men who are gentle, not money-loving, truthful, and tested. For they also minister to you the ministry of the prophets and teachers. Do not look down on them, then, for they are your honored ones, along with the prophets and teachers.
Χειροτονήσατε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισκόπους καὶ διακόνους ἀξίους τοῦ κυρίου, ἄνδρας πραεῖς καὶ ἀφιλαργύρους καὶ ἀληθεῖς καὶ δεδοκιμασμένους: ὑμῖν γὰρ λειτουργοῦσι καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν τῶν προφητῶν καὶ διδασκάλων.
Ignatius, also called God-bearer, to the church of God the Father and of the beloved Jesus Christ, which has been shown mercy in every gift, filled with faith and love, lacking in no gift, most God-fitting and bearing what is holy — the church that is in Smyrna of Asia — abundant greeting in a blameless Spirit and in…
Ἰγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, ἐκκλησίᾳ θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἠλεημένῃ ἐν παντὶ χαρίσματι, πεπληρωμένῃ ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ, ἀνυστερήτῳ οὔσῃ παντὸς χαρίσματος, θεοπρεπεστάτῃ καὶ ἁγιοφόρῳ, τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Σμύρνῃ τῆς Ἀσίας.
“These,” he says, “are believers, and the one sitting on the chair is a false prophet who destroys the mind of the servants of God — of the double-minded, not of the faithful.” These double-minded ones come to him as to a diviner and ask him what will happen to them;
Ἔδειξέ μοι ἐπὶ συμψελλίου καθημένους ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἕτερον ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ καθέδραν, καὶ λέγει μοι: Βλέπεις τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ συμψελλίου καθημένους; Βλέπω, φημί, κύριε.
That God we revere and worship, along with His Son who came from Him and taught us these things, and the host of good angels who follow and are conformed to them, and the prophetic Spirit.
Ἔνθεν δὲ καὶ ἄθεοι κεκλήμεθα· καὶ ὁμολογοῦμεν τῶν τοιούτων νομιζομένων θεῶν ἄθεοι εἶναι, ἀλλ᾿ οὐχὶ τοῦ ἀληθεστάτου καὶ πατρὸς δικαιοσύνης καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρετῶν ἀνεπιμίκτου τε κακίας θεοῦ· ἀλλ᾿ ἐκεῖνόν τε καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ υἱὸν ἐλθόντα καὶ διδάξαντα ἡμᾶς ταῦτα, καὶ τὸν…
These also receive gifts, each as they are worthy, enlightened through the name of this Christ. For one receives a spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of strength, another of healing, another of knowledge, another of teaching, another of fear of God.
Ὃν οὖν τρόπον διὰ τοὺς ἑπτακισχιλίους ἐκείνους τὴν ὀργὴν οὐκ ἐπέφερε τότε ὁ θεός, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ νῦν οὐδέπω τὴν κρίσιν ἐπήνεγκεν ἢ ἐπάγει, γινώσκων ἔτι καθ᾿ ἡμέραν τινὰς μαθητευομένους εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπολείποντας τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς πλάνης, οἲ καὶ λαμβάνουσι…
Prophetic gifts remain among us even now, and from them you ought to understand that the things of old which existed in your race have been transferred to us.
Παρὰ γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ μέχρι νῦν προφητικὰ χαρίσματά ἐστιν, ἐξ οὗ καὶ αὐτοὶ συνιέναι ὀφείλετε, ὅτι τὰ πάλαι ἐν τῷ γένει ὑμῶν ὄντα εἰς ἡμᾶς μετετέθη.
We can see both women and men among us who possess gifts from the Spirit of God. Therefore, it was not because He lacked power that it was prophesied the powers enumerated by Isaiah would come upon Him, but because what lies beyond was not going to be.
Καὶ παρ᾿ ἡμῖν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν καὶ θηλείας καὶ ἄρσενας, χαρίσματα ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ ἔχοντας. Ὥστε οὐ διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐνδεῆ δυνάμεως ἐπεπροφήτευτο ἐλεύσεσθαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὰς δυνάμεις τὰς κατηριθμημένας ὑπὸ Ἡσαΐου, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐπέκεινα μὴ μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι.
For some truly and firmly drive out demons, so that those cleansed from the evil spirits often even believe and are in the church. Others also have foreknowledge of things to come, and visions, and prophetic utterances. Others heal those who are sick by the laying on of hands, and restore them to health.
Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δαίμονας ἐλαύνουσι βεβαίως καὶ ἀληθῶς, ὥστε πολλάκις καὶ πιστεύειν αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους τοὺς καθαρισθέντας ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων, καὶ εἶναι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. Οἱ δὲ καὶ πρόγνωσιν ἔχουσι τῶν μελλόντων, καὶ ὀπτασίας, καὶ ῥήσεις προφητικάς.
But others, so that they may frustrate the gift of the Spirit which in the last times according to the Father’s good pleasure has been poured out on the human race, do not admit that form which is according to John’s Gospel, in which the Lord promised that he would send the Paraclete;
For some of them saw the prophetic Spirit and his operations poured out into all kinds of gifts; but others saw the coming of the Lord and the administration that is from the beginning…
God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers. Where the gifts of the Lord are placed, therefore, there one ought to learn the truth — among those with whom there is the succession of the church from the apostles, and what is sound and blameless in way of life, and what stands…
Just as we also hear of many brothers in the church who have prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak in all kinds of tongues, and bring the secrets of people into the open for benefit, and explain the mysteries of God.
καθὼς καὶ πολλῶν ἀκούομεν ἀδελφῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, προφητικὰ χαρίσματα ἐχόντων, καὶ παντοδαπαῖς λαλούντων διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος γλώσσαις, καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς φανερὸν ἀγόντων ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον, καὶ τὰ μυστήρια τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκδιηγουμένων.
But now we receive some portion from his Spirit, toward perfection and preparation for incorruption, gradually becoming accustomed to receive and carry God — which the Apostle also called a pledge… If therefore, now having the pledge, we cry “Abba, Father,” what will it be when, rising, we see him face to face…?
Again: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom, to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings in the same Spirit, to another workings of powers, to another…
πάλιν τε αὖ ἑκάστῳ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον. ᾧ μὲν γὰρ δίδοται διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ…
I also say these things about spiritual matters: the promises the Creator made in Christ stand under a rule that seems perfectly just to me — no exhibition is to be believed unless its promise has already been proven.
For because we acknowledge spiritual gifts, we have also been granted to receive prophecy after John. There is today among us a sister who has obtained gifts of revelations, which she suffers in the Spirit through ecstasy in the church amid the Lord’s solemnities.
But the Phrygians, taking the beginnings of their heresy from a certain Montanus and Priscilla and Maximilla, thinking the women to be prophetesses and Montanus a prophet, suppose that they speak rightly about the origin and fashioning of the whole, and they have not taken up things about Christ in a foreign way;
Οἱ δὲ Φρύγες ἐκ Μοντανοῦ τινος καὶ Πρισκίλλης καὶ Μαξιμίλλης τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς αἱρέσεως λαβόντες, προφήτιδας τὰ γύναια νομίζοντες καὶ προφήτην τὸν Μοντᾶνον, τὰ δὲ περὶ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς ἀρχῆς καὶ δημιουργίας ὀρθῶς λέγειν νομίζουσι, καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν οὐκ ἀλλοτρίως προσειλήφασιν…
This is the one who strengthened their minds and thoughts, who distinguished the gospel mysteries, who was in them the illuminator of divine things — by whom, confirmed for the Lord’s name, they feared neither prisons nor chains;
For to prophesy and to cast out demons and to do great powers on earth is indeed a lofty and wonderful thing; yet whoever is found in all these does not obtain the heavenly kingdom unless he walks by keeping to the observation of the right and just path.
For the enemy of the church of God, being hateful of beauty and hardworking, and leaving no method of plotting against men in any way, was bringing it about that foreign heresies were again growing up against the church.
XIV. μισόκαλός γε μὴν ἐς τὰ μάλιστα καὶ φιλοπόνηρος ὢν ὁ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ πολέμιος, μηδένα τε μηδαμῶς τῆς κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπολιπὼν ἐπιβουλῆς τρόπον, αἱρέσεις ξένας αὖθις ἐπιφύεσθαι κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐνήργει· ὧν οἱ μὲν ἰοβόλων δίκην ἑρπετῶν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ Φρυγίας…
In that writing, they demonstrate that a prophet should not speak in ecstasy, and I opposed them.' Going on in the same passage, the author lists those who prophesied under the new covenant, including a certain Ammias and Quadratus.
Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τῷ συγγράμματι καἰ Μιλτιάδου συγγραφέως μέμνηται, ὡς λόγον τινὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τῆς προειρημένης αἱρέσεως γε· γραφότος· παραθέμενος γοῦν αὐτῶν λέξεις τινάς, ἐπιφέρει λέγων· “ταῦτα εὑρὼν ἔν τινι συγγράμματι αὐτῶν ἐνισταμένων τῷ Ἀλκιβιάδου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ συγγράμματι, ἐν ᾧ…
The movement around Montanus, Alcibiades, and Theodotus in Phrygia first brought the question of prophecy to the fore. Many were convinced that these men were genuine prophets because so many other striking works of the divine gift were still being performed in various churches.
Τῶν δ’ ἀμφὶ τὸν Μοντανὸν καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδην καὶ Θεόδοτον περὶ τὴν Φρυγίαν ἄρτι τότε πρῶτον τὴν περὶ τοῦ προφητεύειν ὑπόληψιν παρὰ πολλοῖς ἐκφερομένων π Λεῖσται γὰρ οὖν καὶ ἄλλαι παραδοξοποιίαι τοῦ θείου χαρίσματος εἰς ἔτι τότε κατὰ διαφόρους ἐκκλησίας ἐκτελούμεναι πίστιν παρὰ πολλοῖς…
Irenaeus follows the historical accounts that have been previously narrated, and in his five books, Exposure and Overthrow of the Falsely-Named Knowledge, he provides examples of the divine and paradoxical power that was evident in some churches, as he points out in the second part of his work.
Ταῦτα ὁ Εἰρήναιος ἀκολούθως ταῖς προδιεξοδευθείσαις ἡμῖν ὑπογραφὰς ἱστορίαις ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραφεν, πέντε οὐαὶ τὸν ἀριθμόν, Ἐλέγχου καὶ ἀνατροπῆς τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως, ἐν δευτέρῳ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποθέσεως, ὅτι δὴ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ὑποδείγματα τῆς θείας καὶ παραδόξου δυνάμεως ἐν ἐκκλησίαις…
As a result, you are responsible not only for injustices against yourselves, but against all other people as well.' He also writes that prophetic gifts continued to shine upon the church even until his own day. He recalls the Revelation of John, stating clearly that it belongs to the apostle (Revelation of John).
ἰστορεῖ δ’ ἐν ταὐτῷ περὶ Ἰουδαίων ὡς κατὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίας ἐπιβουλὴν συσκευασαμένων, αὐτὰ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν τὸν Τρύφωνα ἀποτεινόμενος· “οὐ μόνον δὲ οὐ μετενοήσατε ἐφ’ οἷς ἐπράξατε κακῶς, ἀλλὰ ἄνδρας ἐκλεκτοὺς ἐκλεξάμενοι τότε ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐξεπέμψατε εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν…
Were the apostles who died two hundred years ago waiting for Manes until they should be clothed with the power? And will anyone dare to say they were not from then on full of the Holy Spirit? And it is written that then they laid on hands and they received the Holy Spirit.
ὁ δυσσεβέστατος Μάνης… ἐτόλμησέ τε εἰπεῖν, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ Παράκλητος, ὃν ἐπηγγείλατο Χριστὸς ἀποστέλλειν. Ἀλλ’ ὁ Σωτὴρ προειδὼς εἶπε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις· Ὑμεῖς δὲ καθίσατε ἐν τῇ πόλει Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἕως οὗ ἐνδύσησθε ἐξ ὕψους δύναμιν.
Is the ordering of the church not clearly and without contradiction worked through the Spirit? For he himself, it says, gave to the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of healings, helps, governances, kinds of tongues.
Ἐκκλησίας διακόσμησις οὐχὶ σαφῶς καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργεῖται; Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἔδωκε, φησί, τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν.
Therefore they also received discernings of spirits, so as to discern and know who speaks by a pure spirit and who by an unclean one. For it was not possible to give proof of the things said on the spot — prophecy does not furnish the test of its own truth at the time it is spoken, but at the time of the outcome… And…
Διὸ καὶ διακρίσεις ἔλαβον πνευμάτων, ὥστε διακρίνειν καὶ εἰδέναι, τίς μὲν ὁ πνεύματι φθεγγόμενος καθαρῷ, τίς δὲ ὁ ἀκαθάρτῳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτόθεν οὐκ ἦν παρασχεῖν τῶν λεγομένων τὴν ἀπόδειξιν· προφητεία γὰρ οὐκ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ, ᾧ λέγεται, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἐκβάσεως παρέχεται τῆς…
If someone was baptized, he immediately spoke in tongues — and not in tongues only, but many also prophesied, and some displayed still more powers.
Τί δήποτε γὰρ τότε μὲν ἐγίνετο, νῦν δὲ οὐκέτι; … Τί οὖν τότε συνέβαινεν; Εἴ τις ἐβαπτίσατο, γλώσσαις εὐθέως ἐλάλει, καὶ οὐ γλώσσαις μόνον, ἀλλὰ πολλοὶ καὶ προεφήτευον, τινὲς δὲ καὶ ἑτέρας πλείους δυνάμεις ἐπεδείκνυντο.
Is the Holy Spirit not given now, brothers? Whoever thinks that is not worthy to receive him. He is given even now.
On the miracles which were done so that the world might believe in Christ, and which do not cease to be done when the world has believed. “Why,” they ask, “do those miracles you preach as having been done not happen now?” I could indeed say they were needed before the world believed, so that the world might believe……
For it is not still the case that when hands are laid on the baptized they receive the Holy Spirit so as to speak in the tongues of all nations, nor that the sick are still healed by the shadow of Christ’s passing preachers, and if any such things were done then, it is clear they later ceased.
When a certain Lombard wanted to plunder them, he was first corrected by that man’s word, and at once was tormented by an evil spirit before his feet. From this it came about that, as among all the inhabitants, so also among that barbarian people, his name was held famous.
If we attend to visible things, we must believe so; but if we weigh invisible things, it is clear that it is a greater miracle to convert a sinner by the word of preaching and the comfort of prayer than to raise a dead body in the flesh.