1 Corinthians 14:29

'And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern.'

The same was to apply to the prophets. Two or three would speak while others judged what they said. This may mean that the whole congregation would 'discern', but the connection of the word with 'discernment' of spirits suggests otherwise. Clearly great care was taken by the eldership to ensure that what was said was soundly based on the truth (Romans 12:6), and some at least would have the gift of discernment. Note that the numbers allowed are not quite as strict as for tongues, but they are still limiting. God does not overload His people, nor does he want the prophets to be too limited by the fact that many want to speak.

Again the suggestion that this simply means 'only two or three prophets should speak in any one sequence' cannot be accepted, even though the gathering went on for a long time. The 'if all prophesy' of 1 Corinthians 14:24 does not mean that all might prophesy. It was an exaggeration to get over the point. 1 Corinthians 14:31 is often cited to dispute this, but 1 Corinthians 14:31 in fact says too much if that is the case. For it gives no indication of the necessity for a gap in the series of prophecies.