And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Parallel translations
- WEB “I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
- BSB I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
- NKJV “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
- NASB “Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
- NLT “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus, calling His disciples 'friends,' tells them not to fear those who can only kill the body. Human persecutors have a strictly limited power.
Overview
In a world where following Christ may invite violence, Jesus liberates His people from the fear of death by exposing its limits: enemies can take physical life but nothing beyond. Addressing the disciples as 'friends' reveals the intimate love that grounds this courage. Because Christ has conquered death, His followers can face even martyrdom without terror.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Matt 10:28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Jer 1:8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
- Rev 2:10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
- Phil 1:28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
- Isa 51:7–13Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
- 1 Pet 3:14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
- Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
- Dan 3:16–17Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
- Ezek 2:6And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
- Jas 2:23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
- Jer 26:14–15As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
- Jer 1:17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
- Acts 4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
- Isa 41:8But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
- John 15:14–15Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
- Song 5:1I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
- Song 5:16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 12:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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