7:15–20 For several hundred years before the time of Christ it was generally believed that prophecy had ceased. The period between the two Testaments is sometimes called the silent years. With John the Baptist the prophetic voice returned, and in early Christianity prophecy flourished. To the crowd that gathered on the Day of Pentecost, Peter explained that the phenomenon of tongues was the fulfillment of Joel’s promise that in the last days God would pour out his Spirit on everyone, so that young men would see visions, old men would have dreams, and both men and women would proclaim his message (Acts 2:17–18; cf. 1 Cor. 14:29–31).

As the church grew, the problem of false prophets became acute. Jesus had warned against the rise of false prophets who would deceive the people (Matt. 24:11, …