Together with the Apostles, new covenant prophets (see Acts 11:27; Acts 15:32; Acts 21:10) were part of the foundation laying phase of the church (Ephesians 2:20). It appears as if they preached from and interpreted God’s Word (see 1 Corinthians 14:3, 1 Corinthians 14:29) along with giving more direct guidance to the church (Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10–11).1 Their office was necessary in the time when the New Testament canon had not yet been completed.2 In the case of Antioch, prophets came to the city from Jerusalem (Acts 11:27) and it seems as if some of them then stayed.3
1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.