An unwillingness to act in a situation of danger or opposition, because of fear. Avoiding the source of one's anxiety or fear, rather than dealing with it directly.

John 12:42-43

Cowardice prevents people from acknowledging Jesus Christ publicly

See also

John 7:13; 9:22-23
John 19:38; 20:19

parents of the man born blind

Matthew 14:5; 21:26,46

Cowardice inhibits bad as well as good behaviour

Matthew 26:56

See also

Cowardice leads to avoidance of the difficulty

1 Samuel 13:6-7
1 Samuel 17:24

the Philistine threat

1 Kings 19:2-3
Jonah 1:10

Goliath

Matthew 26:69-74

pp Mk 14:66-71

pp Lk 22:57-60

Luke 8:37

pp Jn 18:15-18

pp Jn 18:25-27

Galatians 2:12

after the destruction of the pigs

Deuteronomy 20:8

Peter

Cowardice can spread within a group

Numbers 13:30-33
Joshua 14:8

Caleb and the other spies:

Judges 7:2-3
Jeremiah 38:4
Leviticus 26:36-39

God can work through cowardice

Isaiah 30:15-17

In humbling disobedient people

Joshua 2:8-11,24

In routing the enemy

1 Samuel 14:15-16

Rahab and the Israelite spies:

the Philistines

Proverbs 29:25

God gives hope to the cowardly or fearful

See also

Deuteronomy 1:27-31
Judges 7:10-11
Psalms 56:3-4
Isaiah 51:12-15
Luke 21:12-19
Acts 4:5-10,13,29-31

The Holy Spirit gave the disciples a supernatural boldness:

Revelation 21:8

Judgment on cowards

See also

Where cowardice meant rejecting the gospel and denying Jesus Christ.

5798 betrayal
8202 boldness
8219 courage
8712 denial of Christ
8754 fear
8839 unfaithfulness