Luke 12:4
in Luke 12I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Luke 12
Commentary
17 notes on this verseSince unbelief springs from two causes, either from a deeply-seated malice or a sudden fear; lest any one from terror should be compelled to deny the God whom he acknowledges in his heart, He well adds, And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, &c. He tells us also, that that death is not terrible for which at a far more costly rate of interest immortality is to be purchased.
This site's exposition
I tell you, My friends
on Luke 12:4-5
Jesus calls the disciples My friends, a rare term of intimacy. The fear He commands is for the One with authority to throw you into hell, which points to God, since Satan holds no such authority.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Notice that this commandment is not given to Jesus' servants but to his friends. "Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." The One to fear is he "who can destroy both soul and body in hell." He alone, "after he has killed," has "power to throw into hell." He throws into hell those who fear those who kill the body and do not fear "him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell." We may suppose that no matter who else has the hair of his head numbered, the verse is obviously true of those who are cut off for Jesus. We will confess the Son of God before people and not before gods, that he who is confessed may confess us in turn before God and his Father, and confess in heaven the one who confessed him on earth.
He then turns to His disciples with these words, "I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them which can only kill the body, and after that have no more power over you." They will, however, find Isaiah had already said, "See how the just man is taken away, and no man layeth it to heart.
For "a fire shall proceed before His face, and shall utterly burn His enemies; " striking down not the body only, but the souls too, into hell. Besides, the Lord Himself demonstrates the manner in which He threatens such as judge: "For with what judgment ye judge, judgment shall be given on you.
A commentator
Pseudo-ClementSecond Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement) · Written before 400.
proposed
Wherefore, brethren, leaving willingly our sojourn in this present world, let us do the will of Him that called us, and not fear to depart out of this world. For the Lord saith, "Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves." And Peter …
To put it in another light, as being his friends, we should not fear death but rather imitate the faith of the holy ancestors. When he was tempted, the patriarch Abraham offered his only-begotten son Isaac, considering that God was able to raise him up even from the dead. What terror of death can assail us, now that life has abolished death? Christ is the resurrection and the life.
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
For it is not absolutely to every one that this discourse seems to apply, but to those who love God with their whole heart to whom it belongs to say, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Rom. 8:3.) But they who are not such, are tottering, and ready to fall down. Moreover our Lord says, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13.) How then is it not most ungrateful to Christ not to repay Him what we receive? We must then consider that crowns and honours are prepared for the labours of those upon whom men are continually venting forth their indignation, and to them the death of the body is the end of their persecutions. Whence He adds, And after this have nothing more that they can do.
The Medieval Church5 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
It is necessary that we fear God. Whence in the Gospel: "Do not fear those who kill the body and after this have nothing more that they can do; but I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after he has killed, …
But I say to you, my friends, etc. After He instructed them to guard against deceitfulness, here secondly He strengthens them to repel timidity. To this end, however, He brings forward a twofold consideration, namely of the punishment of hell, into which no man can …
But I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more. If the persecutors of the saints, having killed their bodies, can do nothing more against them, then they rage with futile …
Their rage then is but useless raving, who cast the lifeless limbs of martyrs to be torn in pieces by wild beasts and birds, seeing that they can in no wise prevent the omnipotence of God from quickening and bringing them to life again.
What was said before was directed not at them, but at the Pharisees. So, I say to you, My friends. For this word is not for everyone, but for those who have loved Him with all their soul and can say: "Who shall separate us …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And I say unto you, my friends,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The words which begin this chapter are very striking, when we consider its contents. We are told that "a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another." And what does our Lord do? In the hearing of this multitude He delivers warnings against false teachers, and denounces the sins of the times in which he lived unsparingly, unflinchingly, and without partiality. This was true charity. This was doing the work of a physician. This was the pattern which all His ministers were intended to follow.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The words which begin this chapter are very striking, when we consider its contents. We are told that "a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another." And what does our Lord do? In the hearing of this multitude He delivers warnings against false teachers, and denounces the sins of the times in which he lived unsparingly, unflinchingly, and without partiality. This was true charity. This was doing the work of a physician. This was the pattern which all His ministers were intended to follow. Well would it have been for the church and the world—if the ministers of Christ had always spoken out as plainly and faithfully as their Master used to do! Their own lives might have been made more uncomfortable by such a course of action—but they would have been far more useful to souls. The first thing that demands our attention in these verses—is Christ's warning against hypocrisy. This is a warning of which the importance can never be overrated. It was delivered by our Lord more than once, during His earthly ministry. It was intended to be a standing caution to His whole church in every age, and in every part of the world. It was meant to remind us that the principles of the Pharisees are deeply ingrained in human nature—and that Christians should be always on their guard against them. Hypocrisy is a subtle leaven which the heart is always ready to receive! It is a leaven which once received into the heart, infects the whole character of a man's Christianity. Of this leaven, says our Lord, in words that should often ring in our ears—of this leaven, beware! Let us ever nail this caution in our memories, and bind it on our hearts. The plague is around us on every side! The danger is at all times. What is the essence of Romanism, and formalism, and ceremonialism?
Kill the body - See on Mat 10:28 (note).
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Λέγω | lego | I say | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τοῖς | tois | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φίλοις | philois | friends | G5384 → | 27 times |
| μου· | mou | of Mine; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| φοβηθῆτε | phobethete | you may fear | G5399 → | 95 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | because | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῶν | ton | of those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποκτεινόντων | apokteinonton | killing | G615 → | 74 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῶμα | soma | body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μετὰ | meta | after | G3326 → | 461 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐχόντων | echonton | being able | G2192 → | 707 times |
| περισσότερόν | perissoteron | more excessive | G4055 → | 9 times |
| τι | ti | anything | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ποιῆσαι. | poiesai | to do. | G4160 → | 569 times |
ΛέγωI say
legoG3004 →1325 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
τοῖςthose
toisG3588 →19766 times
φίλοιςfriends
philoisG5384 →27 times
μου·of Mine;
mouG3165 →1936 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
φοβηθῆτεyou may fear
phobetheteG5399 →95 times
ἀπὸbecause
apoG575 →640 times
τῶνof those
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀποκτεινόντωνkilling
apokteinontonG615 →74 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
σῶμαbody
somaG4983 →142 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μετὰafter
metaG3326 →461 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐχόντωνbeing able
echontonG2192 →707 times
περισσότερόνmore excessive
perissoteronG4055 →9 times
τιanything
tiG5100 →528 times
ποιῆσαι.to do.
poiesaiG4160 →569 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
it leads to
- Luke 12:4–5
I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 8:12–13
“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- Luke 12:4–5
Through
Revelation 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
it leads to
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Matthew 10:22
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Revelation 3:10–11
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the…
- James 1:12
Through
1 Peter 3:14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”
it leads to
- Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 10:28
Through
Jeremiah 1:8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- Isaiah 51:7
Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 51:7
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 12; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 87; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 34; Pseudo-Clement, Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement); Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV; Tertullian, On Modesty and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.