36 Bible Verses about Cowardice

Peter sat without in the palace, and a damsel came to him, saying, "Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee." But he denied before them all saying, "I know not what thou sayest." When he was gone out into the porch, another wench saw him, and said unto them that were there, "This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth." read more.
And again he denied with an oath that he knew the man. And after a while, came unto him they that stood by, and said unto Peter, "Surely thou art even one of them, for thy speech betrayeth thee." Then began he to curse and to swear, that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter was beneath in the palace, and there came one of the wenches of the highest priest; And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked on him, and said, "Was not thou also with Jesus of Nazareth?" And he denied it, saying, "I know him not, neither know I what thou sayest." And he went out into the porch, and the cock crew. read more.
And a damsel saw him, and again began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And anon after, they that stood by, said again to Peter, "Surely thou art one of them, for thou art of Galilee, and thy speech agreeth thereto." And he began to curse and to swear, saying, "I know not this man of whom ye speak." And again the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said unto him. "Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice," and began to weep.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him to the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. When they had kindled a fire in the midst of the palace, and were set down together, Peter also sat down among them. And one of the wenches, as he sat, beheld him by the fire and set good eyesight on him, and said, "This same was also with him." read more.
Then he denied him, saying, "Woman I know him not." And after a little while, another saw him and said, "Thou art also of them." And Peter said, "Man I am not." And about the space of a hour after, another affirmed, saying, "Verily even this fellow was with him, for he is of Galilee." And Peter said, "Man, I know not what thou sayest." And immediately while he yet spake, the cock crew.

But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple which was known unto the high priest, and spake to the damsel that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then said the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, "Art not thou one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."

Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, and they said unto him, "Art not thou also one of his disciples?" He denied it, and said, "I am not."

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, ran away from him, and were sore afraid.

he was the more afraid of David, and became David's enemy forever.

And there we saw also giants, the children of Anak which are of the giants. And we seemed in our sight as it were grasshoppers and so we did in their sight." And the multitude cried out, and the people wept throughout that night,

And the men of Ai smote of them upon a thirty and six men, and chased them before the gates even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down. And the hearts of the people were discouraged and melted like water.

In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came unto them, walking on the sea:

And when they had rowed about a twenty five or a thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walk on the sea, and to draw nigh unto the ship, and they were afraid.

For they all saw him, and were afraid. And anon he talked with them, and said unto them, "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid."

And he said unto them, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there followed a great calm.

And he said unto them, "Where is your faith?" They feared and wondered, saying one to another, "What fellow is this? For he commandeth both the winds and water, and they obey him!"

And he was in the stern asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him, and said to him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

And the multitude cried out, and the people wept throughout that night, and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them, "Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, either we would that we had died in this wilderness. Wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land to fall upon the sword, that both our wives, and also our children should be a prey? Is it not better that we return unto Egypt again?" read more.
And they said, one to another, "Let us make a captain and return unto Egypt again." And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the congregation of the multitude of the children of Israel.

Notwithstanding, ye would not consent to go up, but were disobedient unto the mouth of the LORD your God, and murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hateth us, therefore he hath brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us. How shall we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying the people is greater and taller than we, and the cities are great and walled even up to heaven, and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.'

And when he was come nigh for to enter into Egypt, he said unto Sarai his wife, "Behold, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon. It will come to pass, therefore, when the Egyptians see thee, that they will say, 'she is his wife.' And so shall they slay me and save thee. Say, I pray thee therefore, that thou art my sister; that I may fare the better by reason of thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake." read more.
As soon as he came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very fair. And Pharaoh's lords saw her also, and praised her unto Pharaoh, so that she was taken into Pharaoh's house; which entreated Abram well for her sake, so that he had sheep, oxen and he-asses, men servants, maid servants, she-asses and camels. But God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "Why hast thou thus dealt with me? Wherefore toldest thou me not that she was thy wife? Why saidest thou that she was thy sister, and causedest me to take her to my wife? But now, lo, there is thy wife: take her and be walking."

And Abraham said of Sara his wife, that she was his sister. Then Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and fetched Sara away. And God came to Abimelech by night in a dream and said to him, "See, thou art but a dead man for the woman's sake which thou hast taken away, for she is a man's wife." But Abimelech had not yet come nigh her, and therefore said, "LORD, wilt thou slay righteous people? read more.
Said not he unto me, that she was his sister? Yea, and said not she herself that he was her brother? With a pure heart and innocent hands have I done this!" And God said unto him in a dream, "I know it well that thou didst it in the pureness of thy heart: And therefore I kept thee that thou shouldest not sin against me, neither suffered I thee to come nigh her. Now, therefore, deliver the man his wife again, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for thee that thou mayest live. But and if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, with all that thou hast." Then Abimelech rose up betimes in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears, and the men were sore afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, "What hast thou done unto us, and what have I offended thee, that thou shouldest bring on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done." And Abimelech said moreover unto Abraham, "What sawest thou that moved thee to do this thing?" And Abraham answered, "I thought that peradventure the fear of God was not in this place, and that they should slay me for my wife's sake: yet in very deed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not of my mother: and became my wife.

Then said David unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, "Up, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart; lest he come suddenly and catch us and bring some mischief upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and exceeding great, and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

But the men that went up with him said, "We be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched, unto the children of Israel, saying, "The land which we have gone through, to search it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabiters thereof, and the people that we saw in it are men of stature. And there we saw also giants, the children of Anak which are of the giants. And we seemed in our sight as it were grasshoppers and so we did in their sight."

All this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

And when all the kings of the Amorites which dwelt beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Cananites which lie on the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the water of Jordan before the children of Israel, until they were over, their hearts fainted in them. And there was no spirit in them any more, for fear of the coming of the children of Israel.

And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did faint. And there remained no more courage in any man for fear of your coming. For the LORD your God; he is the God in heaven above, and on the earth beneath.

And from thenceforth sought Pilate means to loose him: but the Jews cried, saying, "If thou let him go, thou art not Caesar's friend. For whosoever maketh himself a King, is against Caesar." When Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down to give sentence, in a place called the pavement: But in the Hebrew tongue, Gabbatha. It was the Sabbath even which falleth in the Easter feast, and about the sixth hour. And he said unto the Jews, "Behold your King." read more.
They cried, "Away with him, away with him; Crucify him." Pilate said unto them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The high priests answered, "We have no King but Caesar." Then delivered he him unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

Nevertheless, among the chief rulers many believed on him: but because of the Pharisees they would not be a known of it, lest they should be excommunicated. For they loved the praise that is given of men, more than the praise that cometh of God.

And there came a messenger to David and said, "The hearts of the men of Israel are to follow Absalom." Then said David unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, "Up, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart; lest he come suddenly and catch us and bring some mischief upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword." And the king's servants said to him, "Behold, thy servants are ready to whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint." read more.
And the king and all his household departed afoot. And he left behind him ten wives that were his concubines, to keep the house. And so the king and all the people went out afoot and tarried far from the house.

And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, "Why hast thou given us but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing we be much people, and forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed us so?" And Joshua answered them, "If ye be much people, then get you up to the wood country, and prepare for yourselves there in the land of the Perezites and of the Rephaim, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for you." Then the children of Joseph said again, "The hill will not be gotten of us: for all the Cananites that dwell in the low country have chariots of iron, and so have they that inhabit Bethshean, and the towns of the same, and they also that dwell in the valley of Jezreel." read more.
And Joshua answered the house of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, "Ye be much people and have great power and shall not therefore have one lot. But the hill shall be yours, for it is a wood country and ye shall bring it to fashion, and it shall be yours even unto the ends of it, for ye shall be able to cast out the Cananites for all their iron chariots and for all they be so strong."

And Aaron said, "Let not the wrath of my lord wax fierce, thou knowest the people that they are even set on mischief. They said unto me, 'Make us a god to go before us, for we wot not what is become of Moses, the fellow that brought us out of the land of Egypt.' And I said unto them, 'Let them that have gold, take and bring it me': and I cast it into the fire, and thereof came out this calf."

Now therefore make a proclamation in the ears of the people and say, 'If any man dread or be afraid, let him return and get him soon from mount Gilead.'" And there departed and returned of the people twenty two thousand, and there abode ten thousand.

Like as the children of Ephraim, which being harnessed and carrying bows, turned themselves back in the time of battle:

And when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him in the face, for he was worthy to be blamed. For yer that certain came from James, he ate with the gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision, and the other Jews dissembled likewise; Insomuch that Barnabas was brought into their simulation also. read more.
But when I saw that they went not the right way after the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter, before all men, "If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the gentiles, and not as do the Jews: why causest thou the gentiles to live as do the Jews?"

And when the men of Israel saw themselves in a strait, and that the people were encumbered, they hid themselves in caves, in privy holes, in rocks, dens and pits. And the Hebrews went over Jordan unto the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was yet in Gilgal, and all the people that followed him were astonished.

After that, Joseph of Arimathaea, which was a disciple of Jesus - but secretly for fear of the Jews - besought Pilate that he might take down the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him license.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher which art come from God. For no man could do such miracles as thou doest, except God were with him."

And the men of the place asked him of his wife, and he said that she was his sister: for he feared to call her his wife lest the men of the place should have killed him for her sake, because she was beautiful to the eye. And it happened after he had been there long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw Isaac sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "See, she is of a surety thy wife, and why saidest thou that she was thy sister?" And Isaac said unto him, "I thought that I might peradventure have died for her sake."

but the five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, ran away from him, and were sore afraid.

But Samuel answered, "How shall I go? For Saul shall hear it and will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with thee, and say thou goest to offer to the LORD.

Such words spake his father, and mother, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had conspired already that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be excommunicated out of the Synagogue.

Jacob answered, and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, and thought that thou wouldest have taken away thy daughters from me.

When the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleep, and saw the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing the prisoners had been fled.

All this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

And Adam answered, "The woman which thou gavest to bear me company, she took me of the tree, and I ate."

And for fear of him the keepers were astunned, and became as dead men.

And the men of Ai smote of them upon a thirty and six men, and chased them before the gates even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down. And the hearts of the people were discouraged and melted like water.

Like as the children of Ephraim, which being harnessed and carrying bows, turned themselves back in the time of battle:

Now therefore make a proclamation in the ears of the people and say, 'If any man dread or be afraid, let him return and get him soon from mount Gilead.'" And there departed and returned of the people twenty two thousand, and there abode ten thousand.