8754 fear

An attitude of anxiety or distress, caused by concern over a threat to one’s future. Scripture provides numerous examples of situations in which fear is experienced. It declares, however, that God alone is to be feared, and moments of human fear can be opportunities for deepening faith in him.

Reverent fear of God commended

Pr 1:7 See also Dt 6:13; Dt 31:12-13; Jos 4:24; Jos 24:14; 1Sa 12:24; Ps 2:11; Ps 34:7-9; Pr 15:33; Ecc 12:13; Isa 33:6; Rev 14:7

Fear of natural phenomena

Ps 91:5; Jnh 1:4-5 See also Ge 19:30; Job 5:22; Ecc 12:5; Isa 7:25; Mt 8:26; Rev 11:13

Fear of the unnatural

Fear of thoughts and visions Da 4:5; Ac 10:4 See also 1Sa 3:15; Job 4:13-15; Isa 21:4; Da 8:17; Da 10:11-12; Mt 1:20; Mt 28:4; Lk 1:12-13,29-30; Lk 2:9-10

Fear of the unknown or the abnormal Mt 14:26-27 pp Mk 6:50 pp Jn 6:19-20 Ac 5:5 See also Ex 20:18; Ex 34:30 The radiance of Moses’face reflected God’s glory and made the Israelites afraid; Dt 5:5; 1Sa 4:7; Ne 6:16; Jer 10:2; Da 5:9 Belshazzar’s fear at the writing on the wall; Jnh 1:10; Mt 17:6 the fear of the disciples at the transfiguration; Mt 27:54; Mk 5:33; Mk 9:32; Mk 16:8; Lk 5:10; Lk 8:37 Fear seized the people when the Gerasene demoniac was healed; Lk 9:34; Jn 19:8; Ac 19:17

Fear of embarrassment or shame

Ge 3:10 See also Isa 54:4; Jn 3:20; 2Co 12:20

Fear of the future

Jer 51:46 See also Isa 41:23; Mk 10:32; Lk 12:32; Ac 27:24

Fear of persecution

Ezr 4:4; Jn 12:42-43 See also 1Ki 19:3; Jn 7:13; Jn 9:22; Jn 20:19; 1Pe 3:14; Rev 2:10

Fear of death

Heb 2:14-15 See also Ps 55:4-5; Mk 5:36 pp Lk 8:50; Ac 23:10

Fear of people

Of enemies Ex 14:10; 1Sa 7:7 See also Nu 22:3; Jdg 7:3; 1Sa 17:24,11; 2Sa 10:19; 2Ch 12:5; Ps 27:1-3; Ps 56:1-4; Isa 20:5; Isa 41:5; Jer 22:25; Jer 41:18; Ob 9

Of one’s own family Ge 32:11; Ge 45:3; Jdg 9:21 See also Ge 31:31; Ge 32:7; Ge 42:4; Ge 50:19; Jdg 6:27

Of particular people 1Sa 15:24; 1Co 2:3 See also Ge 26:7; Ex 2:14; Dt 2:4; 1Sa 18:15 Saul’s fear of David; 2Sa 3:11; Ne 2:2 Nehemiah’s fear before the king; Est 7:6; Jer 26:21; Jer 38:19; Mt 2:22; Mk 12:12; Lk 19:21; Ac 9:26 the disciples fear of Paul, not believing his conversion; 1Co 16:10; 2Co 7:15; Gal 2:12

Of human beings in general Pr 29:25 See also Dt 1:17; Isa 51:7

Fear of judgment

Eze 11:8; Ac 24:25 See also 1Sa 28:20; 1Ch 21:30; Isa 33:14; Jer 17:18; Jer 30:5; Jer 42:15-16; Eze 12:18; Eze 27:35; Zec 9:5; 1Jn 4:18 Christians, assured of God’s love, no longer fear judgment; Rev 18:10,15

Fear as a deterrent

Ro 13:4 See also Dt 13:11; Dt 17:13; Dt 19:20; Dt 21:21; Job 19:28-29

Fear as an opportunity for faith

Dt 1:21; Ps 23:4; Pr 3:25-26; Mt 10:29-31 See also Ex 14:13; Dt 1:29; Dt 7:18-21; Dt 31:6; Jos 11:6; Ne 4:14; Ps 3:6; Ps 34:4; Ps 49:5; Ps 56:3; Isa 10:24; Isa 35:3-4; Isa 41:14; Isa 43:5; Isa 44:8; Isa 51:12; Jer 1:8,17; Jer 30:10; Jer 42:11; Jer 46:27; Eze 2:6; Eze 3:9; Da 10:19; Mt 8:26 pp Mk 4:40 pp Lk 8:25; Mk 6:49-51; Jn 14:27

See also