Is the gift of prophecy (insight into another persons life) for today?

The question you asked is one of great controvery in the church today. I personally do not believe the gift of prophecy or office of prophet exists today. This was a supernatural gift that involved giving direct revelation from God and usually involved new truth that was equivalent to Scripture, if it was truly from God. For this reason, there was also the gift of discernment.

Having said that, there was also a gift called "the gift of knowledge." There is great deal of debate over just what this gift involved, but many believe it was the ability to have insight into another person's life. It is possible some believers may still have this gift today, but I would not call this prophecy. The NT clearly teaches that the church today is being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, i.e., a foundation that consisted of the apostles and prophets. Once a foundation is laid, it is done. Today we are building superstructure on that foundation. We have in the Bible the completed revelation or canon of Scripture. Peter, who saw through the hyprocrisy of Annaias, was an apostle and such was part of the miraculous ability (the signs of an apostle, see 2 Cor. 12:12) God gave the apostles. This is not a matter of what God CAN do, but of what He has REVEALED He is doing according to the Bible.

---

Articles related to Matthew:

• An Introduction to Matthew
• An Argument of Matthew
• A Bibliography of Matthew
• Overview of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
• Matthew: Introduction, Argument, and Outline
• Other articles..