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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Luke 12:4

"I'm speaking to you as dear friends. Don't be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fear of God;   Jesus, the Christ;   Judgment;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Courage-Fear;   Fear;   Fear of Man;   The Topic Concordance - Fear;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fear;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Friend, Friendship;   Leaven;   Punishment;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Sacrifice;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Paradise;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Friend, Friendship;   Life;   Luke, Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Matthew, Gospel According to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Character;   Cowardice;   Death (2);   Fear ;   Hypocrisy;   Oppression;   Physical ;   Self-Control;   Sheep, Shepherd;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jesus Christ (Part 2 of 2);   Persecution;   Resurrection;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for October 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“I say to you, my friends,
King James Version (1611)
And I say vnto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, haue no more that they can doe.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
New American Standard Bible
"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.
New Century Version
"I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of people who can kill the body but after that can do nothing more to hurt you.
Amplified Bible
"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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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.
Legacy Standard Bible
"But I say to you, My friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
Berean Standard Bible
I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
Contemporary English Version
My friends, don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but after that, there is nothing else they can do.
Complete Jewish Bible
"My friends, I tell you: don't fear those who kill the body but then have nothing more they can do.
Darby Translation
But I say to you, my friends, Fear not those who kill the body and after this have no more that they can do.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Jesus said to the people, "I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of people. They can kill the body, but after that they can do nothing more to hurt you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I say vnto you, my friendes, be not afraide of them that kill the bodie, and after that are not able to doe any more.
George Lamsa Translation
I say to you, my friends, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.
Good News Translation
"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot afterward do anything worse.
Lexham English Bible
"And I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after these things do not have anything more to do.
Literal Translation
But I say to you, My friends, stop being afraid of the ones killing the body, and after these things not having anything more they can do.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And I say to you, my friends, Have no fear of those who may put the body to death, and are able to do no more than that.
Hebrew Names Version
"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.
International Standard Version
"But I tell you, my friends, never be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can't do anything more.Isaiah 51:7-8,12-13; Jeremiah 1:8; Matthew 10:28; John 15:14-15;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But I say to you, my beloved ones, Fear not them who kill the body, and who afterward can do nothing more;
Murdock Translation
And to you, my friends, I say: Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and afterwards have nothing more they can do.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I say vnto you my friendes, be not afrayde of them that kyll the body, and after that, haue no more that they can do.
English Revised Version
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them which kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
World English Bible
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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I say to you, my friends; Fear not them that kill the body, and after that can do no more:
Weymouth's New Testament
"But to you who are my friends I say, "`Be not afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seie to you, my freendis, be ye not a ferd of hem that sleen the bodie, and aftir these thingis han no more what thei schulen do.
Update Bible Version
And I say to you my friends, Don't be afraid of those that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Webster's Bible Translation
And I say to you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
New English Translation
"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.
New King James Version
Matthew 10:8-31">[xr] "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.
New Living Translation
"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.
New Life Bible
"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and then can do no more.
New Revised Standard
"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I say unto you, my friends - Do not be put in fear of them who kill the body, and, after these things, have nothing more uncommon which they can do.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
Revised Standard Version
"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I saye vnto you my fredes: Be not afrayde of them that kyll the body and after that have no moare that they can do.
Young's Literal Translation
`And I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things are not having anything over to do;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I saye vnto you my frendes: Be not afrayed of them that kyll the body, and after that haue nomore that they can do.
Mace New Testament (1729)
As for you, my friends, be not afraid of those, who can kill the body, and after that can effect nothing more.
Simplified Cowboy Version
"My friends, don't be afraid of those who can kill your body. When you die, it is over in a second.

Contextual Overview

1By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other's toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus' primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, "Watch yourselves carefully so you don't get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can't keep your true self hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can't whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day's coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town. 4"I'm speaking to you as dear friends. Don't be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands. 6"What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries. 8"Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels. But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels? 10 "If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you're knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won't be overlooked. 11"When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don't worry about defending yourselves—what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my: Song of Solomon 5:1, Song of Solomon 5:16, Isaiah 41:8, John 15:14, James 2:23

Be: Isaiah 51:7-13, Jeremiah 1:8, Jeremiah 1:17, Jeremiah 26:14, Jeremiah 26:15, Ezekiel 2:6, Daniel 3:16, Daniel 3:17, Matthew 10:28, Acts 4:13, Acts 20:24, Philippians 1:28, 1 Peter 3:14, Revelation 2:10

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 9:19 - For I Job 3:17 - the wicked Job 37:24 - fear Psalms 56:4 - in God I have Psalms 89:7 - General Proverbs 16:14 - wrath Proverbs 19:12 - king's Ecclesiastes 8:4 - the word Isaiah 8:12 - fear ye Isaiah 51:12 - that thou Jeremiah 41:18 - for they Ezekiel 32:25 - though Daniel 3:19 - was Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 6:10 - as he Matthew 6:25 - I say John 9:22 - because John 14:27 - afraid Hebrews 11:23 - and they Hebrews 13:6 - I will Revelation 15:4 - Who Revelation 21:8 - the fearful

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
This is the story of Terah. Terah had Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran had Lot. Haran died before his father, Terah, in the country of his family, Ur of the Chaldees.
Genesis 11:31
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and Sarai his daughter-in-law (his son Abram's wife) and set out with them from Ur of the Chaldees for the land of Canaan. But when they got as far as Haran, they settled down there.
Hebrews 11:8
By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I say unto you, my friends,.... Whom he dearly loved, and had taken into the greatest intimacy and familiarity; making known to them whatever he had heard from his Father; giving them the best instructions, the most faithful and friendly advice, and proper precautions; all which, and more, showed them to be his friends, and for whom he after laid down his life:

be not afraid of them that kill the body; though he would have them beware of the Pharisees, he would not have them be afraid of them; he would have them know them, and avoid their hypocrisy, and guard against it; but not fear them, or the worst they could do unto them, which was to kill the body; and that they had no need to be afraid of, since at death, their souls would be immediately happy, in the enjoyment and vision of God; and their bodies would sleep in Jesus, and be raised in the resurrection morn, and be united to their souls, and be both for ever blessed:

and after that have no more that they can do; they have nothing more to kill, or which they can put to pain or misery; the soul is out of their reach, is an immortal spirit, and cannot be hurt or destroyed by them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nothing covered - See the notes at Matthew 10:26-32.

Luke 12:3

Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops - See the notes at Matthew 10:27. The custom of making proclamation from the tops or roofs of houses still prevails in the East. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 51, 52) says: “At the present day, local governors in country districts cause their commands thus to be published. Their proclamations are generally made in the evening, after the people have returned from their labors in the field. The public crier ascends the highest roof at hand, and lifts up his voice in a long-drawn call upon all faithful subjects to give ear and obey. He then proceeds to announce, in a set form, the will of their master, and demand obedience thereto.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 12:4. Kill the bodyMatthew 10:28; Matthew 10:28.


 
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