Matthew 10:28
in Matthew 10Do 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
KJV
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
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This verse in Matthew 10
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis word is not found in the Old Scriptures, but it is first used by the Saviour. Let us enquire then into its origin. We read in more than one place that the idol Baal was near Jerusalem, at the foot of Mount Moriah, by which the brook Siloc flows. This valley and a small level plain was watered and woody, a delightful spot, and a grove in it was consecrated to the idol.
This site's exposition
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul
Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul relativizes every human threat against a greater one, fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, the only verse in the discourse naming hell, gehenna, directly. The bench reads the verse as Jesus' own teaching on the soul's survival of physical death and on final judgment falling on the whole person, body and soul together, rather than the soul alone. The command is not simply to fear God instead of man, but to weigh the two fears rightly, since one threat can only end a life and the other can determine its final state.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And fear not them which kill the body,.... This is a "periphrasis" of bloody persecutors, who, not content to revile, scourge, and imprison, put the faithful ministers of Christ to death, in the most cruel and torturing manner; and yet are not so to be feared and dreaded by them, as to discourage and divert them from the performance of their important work and office; for, as Luke says, Luk 12:4 "after" that they "have no more than they can do".
And be not afraid - of any thing which ye may suffer for proclaiming it. Be afraid of him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell - It is remarkable, that our Lord commands those who love God, still to fear him, even on this account, under this notion. The particular providence of God is another reason for your not fearing man.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Fear not them which kill the body - Των αποκτεινοντων. Those who slay with acts of cruelty, alluding probably to the cruelties which persecutors should exercise on his followers in their martyrdom. But are not able to kill the soul. Hence we find that the body and the soul are distinct principles, for the body may be slain and the soul escape; and, secondly, that the soul is immaterial, for the murderers of the body are not able, μη δυναμενων, have it not in their power, to injure it.
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| φοβεῖσθε | phobeisthe | do be afraid | G5399 → | 95 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | of | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῶν | ton | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποκτεννόντων | apoktennonton | killing | G615 → | 74 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῶμα, | soma | body, | G4983 → | 142 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ψυχὴν | psuchen | soul | G5590 → | 103 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| δυναμένων | dunamenon | being able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| ἀποκτεῖναι· | apokteinai | to kill; | G615 → | 74 times |
| φοβεῖσθε | phobeisthe | do be afraid | G5399 → | 95 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| μᾶλλον | mallon | rather | G3123 → | 81 times |
| τὸν | ton | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δυνάμενον | dunamenon | being able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| καὶ | kai | both | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ψυχὴν | psuchen | soul | G5590 → | 103 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σῶμα | soma | body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| ἀπολέσαι | apolesai | to destroy | G622 → | 90 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| γεέννῃ. | geenne | hell. | G1067 → | 12 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
φοβεῖσθεdo be afraid
phobeistheG5399 →95 times
ἀπὸof
apoG575 →640 times
τῶνthose
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀποκτεννόντωνkilling
apoktennontonG615 →74 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
σῶμα,body,
somaG4983 →142 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ψυχὴνsoul
psuchenG5590 →103 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
δυναμένωνbeing able
dunamenonG1410 →207 times
ἀποκτεῖναι·to kill;
apokteinaiG615 →74 times
φοβεῖσθεdo be afraid
phobeistheG5399 →95 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
μᾶλλονrather
mallonG3123 →81 times
τὸνthe [One]
tonG3588 →19766 times
δυνάμενονbeing able
dunamenonG1410 →207 times
καὶboth
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ψυχὴνsoul
psuchenG5590 →103 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σῶμαbody
somaG4983 →142 times
ἀπολέσαιto destroy
apolesaiG622 →90 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
γεέννῃ.hell.
geenneG1067 →12 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
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…
- Luke 21:16–19
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
- 1 Peter 5:4
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
- James 1:12
Through
James 4:12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
it leads to
- Romans 14:4
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
- Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
- Isaiah 33:22
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.
- Romans 14:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.