What can "testing prophecies" mean?

Summary:

Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). 

One understanding of what "testing prophecies" can mean is: 

Examining if a prophecy is true or false. 

You can find below evidences for that.

Things prophesied can be "true" or "false":

In the Bible, THINGS PROPHESIED can be described as "TRUE" or "FALSE". 

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Things prophesied can be true or false:
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"Testing" in 1 Thessalonians 2 in relation to "error":

Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). 

The same Greek word for "BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek]" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) is used only two other times in 1 Thessalonians: only in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (which is three chapters prior). 

Paul wrote: "our exhortation (is) not from ERROR, nor from impurity, nor in DECEIT. BUT just-as WE-HAVE-BEEN-TESTED [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] by God to-be-entrusted (with) the good-news, so we-speak — not as pleasing people, but God, the (One) TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:3-4). 

Here there seems to be a relation between "ERROR" (1 Thessalonians 2:3) and having been TESTED to not be found in that.

"Testing" in 1 John 4 in relation to "error" and "truth":

Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). 

The same Greek word for "BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek]" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) is used in 1 John 4:1. 

It is written in 1 John 4: "do not be-believing every spirit, but BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] THE SPIRITS (to see) if they-are from God, BECAUSE many FALSE-PROPHETS have-gone-out into the world" (1 John 4:1). Testing the spirits here is directly linked to (false) prophets. It then continues to describe the two spirits that can be found out, writing: "From this, we-know THE SPIRIT (OF) TRUTH and THE SPIRIT (OF) ERROR" (1 John 4:6). 

Here the TESTING of the spirits is to find out if it can be the spirit of TRUTH or the spirit of ERROR.

"Testing" prophecies in 1 Thessalonians 5 in relation to a potential danger of error in prophecies in 2 Thessalonians 2?

Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). 

Earlier in the same chapter, Paul wrote about the timing of the day of the Lord, writing: "you-know yourselves accurately that (THE) DAY (OF THE) LORD comes in-this-manner — like (a) thief in (the) night. WHEN they-are-saying “peace and security”, then unexpected destruction suddenly-comes-upon them" (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3).

Later in 2 Thessalonians, Paul wrote again about the timing of the day of the Lord. He added here that they could be shaken or alarmed by a spirit or a word IN ERROR concerning the timing of the day of the Lord, as he wrote "that you not be quickly SHAKEN in mind NOR ALARMED — neither BY SPIRIT, nor BY WORD, nor by letter as(-if) by us, HOW THAT THE DAY (OF) THE LORD (NOW)-WAS-PRESENT. Let no one DECEIVE you in any way, because (it is not) unless the apostasy comes first" (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3). A spirit or a word can be encountered in the context of a prophecy or a prophet. 

Paul told them earlier in 1 Thessalonians 5 to be TESTING PROPHECIES in the context of the timing of the day of the Lord, and later in 2 Thessalonians 2 Paul warned them to not be DECEIVED by a spirit or a word concerning the timing of the day of the Lord (which could imply that the word given could be IN ERROR concerning the timing). 

Jesus indicated that "FALSE-PROPHETS will-arise and DECEIVE many" (Matthew 24:11). This could indicate that something FALSE (like an error concerning the timing of the day of the Lord) can lead someone to be deceived. Like Paul wrote: "Let no one DECEIVE you in any way, because (it is not) unless the apostasy comes first" (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

TESTING PROPHECIES could be important to determine which prophecies could be in ERROR. 

Basic ways to test prophecies?

There can be basic ways to test prophecies.

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Basic ways to test prophecies:
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