Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  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

Proverbs 1:7 See also Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 31:12-13; Joshua 4:24; Joshua 24:14; 1 Samuel 12:24; Psalm 2:11; Psalm 34:7-9; Proverbs 15:33; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Isaiah 33:6; Revelation 14:7

Fear of natural phenomena

Psalm 91:5; Jonah 1:4-5 See also Genesis 19:30; Job 5:22; Ecclesiastes 12:5; Isaiah 7:25; Matthew 8:26; Revelation 11:13

Fear of the unnatural

Fear of thoughts and visions

Daniel 4:5; Acts 10:4 See also 1 Samuel 3:15; Job 4:13-15; Isaiah 21:4; Daniel 8:17; Daniel 10:11-12; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 28:4; Luke 1:12-13,29-30; Luke 2:9-10

Fear of the unknown or the abnormal

Matthew 14:26-27 pp Mark 6:50 pp John 6:19-20 Acts 5:5 See also Exodus 20:18; Exodus 34:30 The radiance of Moses' face reflected God's glory and made the Israelites afraid; Deuteronomy 5:5; 1 Samuel 4:7; Nehemiah 6:16; Jeremiah 10:2; Daniel 5:9 Belshazzar's fear at the writing on the wall; Jonah 1:10; Matthew 17:6 the fear of the disciples at the transfiguration; Matthew 27:54; Mark 5:33; Mark 9:32; Mark 16:8; Luke 5:10; Luke 8:37 Fear seized the people when the Gerasene demoniac was healed; Luke 9:34; John 19:8; Acts 19:17

Fear of embarrassment or shame

Genesis 3:10 See also Isaiah 54:4; John 3:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20

Fear of the future

Jeremiah 51:46 See also Isaiah 41:23; Mark 10:32; Luke 12:32; Acts 27:24

Fear of persecution

Ezra 4:4; John 12:42-43 See also 1 Kings 19:3; John 7:13; John 9:22; John 20:19; 1 Peter 3:14; Revelation 2:10

Fear of death

Hebrews 2:14-15 See also Psalm 55:4-5; Mark 5:36 pp Luke 8:50; Acts 23:10

Fear of people

Of enemies

Exodus 14:10; 1 Samuel 7:7 See also Numbers 22:3; Judges 7:3; 1 Samuel 17:24,11; 2 Samuel 10:19; 2 Chronicles 12:5; Psalm 27:1-3; Psalm 56:1-4; Isaiah 20:5; Isaiah 41:5; Jeremiah 22:25; Jeremiah 41:18; Ob 9

Of one's own family

Genesis 32:11; Genesis 45:3; Judges 9:21 See also Genesis 31:31; Genesis 32:7; Genesis 42:4; Genesis 50:19; Judges 6:27

Of particular people

1 Samuel 15:24; 1 Corinthians 2:3 See also Genesis 26:7; Exodus 2:14; Deuteronomy 2:4; 1 Samuel 18:15 Saul's fear of David; 2 Samuel 3:11; Nehemiah 2:2 Nehemiah's fear before the king; Esther 7:6; Jeremiah 26:21; Jeremiah 38:19; Matthew 2:22; Mark 12:12; Luke 19:21; Acts 9:26 the disciples fear of Paul, not believing his conversion; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Galatians 2:12

Of human beings in general

Proverbs 29:25 See also Deuteronomy 1:17; Isaiah 51:7

Fear of judgment

Ezekiel 11:8; Acts 24:25 See also 1 Samuel 28:20; 1 Chronicles 21:30; Isaiah 33:14; Jeremiah 17:18; Jeremiah 30:5; Jeremiah 42:15-16; Ezekiel 12:18; Ezekiel 27:35; Zechariah 9:5; 1 John 4:18 Christians, assured of God's love, no longer fear judgment; Revelation 18:10,15

Fear as a deterrent

Romans 13:4 See also Deuteronomy 13:11; Deuteronomy 17:13; Deuteronomy 19:20; Deuteronomy 21:21; Job 19:28-29

Fear as an opportunity for faith

Deuteronomy 1:21; Psalm 23:4; Proverbs 3:25-26; Matthew 10:29-31 See also Exodus 14:13; Deuteronomy 1:29; Deuteronomy 7:18-21; Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 11:6; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalm 3:6; Psalm 34:4; Psalm 49:5; Psalm 56:3; Isaiah 10:24; Isaiah 35:3-4; Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:5; Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 51:12; Jeremiah 1:8,17; Jeremiah 30:10; Jeremiah 42:11; Jeremiah 46:27; Ezekiel 2:6; Ezekiel 3:9; Daniel 10:19; Matthew 8:26 pp Mark 4:40 pp Luke 8:25; Mark 6:49-51; John 14:27

See also

5482  punishment
5819  cowardice
8020  faith
8030  trust
8219  courage
8334  reverence & God's nature
8361  wisdom
8722  doubt
8727  enemies
8829  superstition
9210  judgment, God's