18 Bible Verses about Cowardice

Peter meanwhile was sitting outside in the court of the palace, when one of the maidservants came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaean." He denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean." Soon afterwards he went out and stood in the gateway, when another girl saw him, and said, addressing the people there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene." read more.
Again he denied it with an oath. "I do not know the man," he said. A short time afterwards the people standing there came and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your brogue shows it." Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not know the man." Immediately a cock crowed,

Now while Peter was below in the quadrangle, one of the High Priest's maidservants came, and seeing Peter warming himself she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the Nazarene." But he denied it, and said, "I don't know--I don't understand--What do you mean?" And then he went out into the outer court. Just then a cock crowed. read more.
Again the maidservant saw him, and again began to say to the people standing by, "He is one of them." A second time he repeatedly denied it. Soon afterwards the bystanders again accused Peter, saying, "You are surely one of them, for you too are a Galilaean." But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know nothing of the man you are talking about." No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed for the second time, and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, "Before the cock crows twice, you will three times disown me." And as he thought of it, he wept aloud.

And they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the High Priest's house, while Peter followed a good way behind. And when they had lighted a fire in the middle of the court and had seated themselves in a group round it, Peter was sitting among them, when a maidservant saw him sitting by the fire, and, looking fixedly at him, she said, "This man also was with him." read more.
But he denied it, and declared, "Woman, I do not know him." Shortly afterwards a man saw him and said, "You, too, are one of them." "No, man, I am not," said Peter. After an interval of about an hour some one else stoutly maintained: "Certainly this fellow also was with him, for in fact he is a Galilaean." "Man, I don't know what you mean," replied Peter. No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed.

But Peter remained standing outside the door, till the disciple who was acquainted with the High Priest came out and induced the portress to let Peter in. This led the girl, the portress, to ask Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" "No, I am not," he replied.

But Simon Peter remained standing and warming himself, and this led to their asking him, "Are you also one of his disciples?" He denied it, and said, "No, I am not."

But towards daybreak He went to them, walking over the waves.

When, however, they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the water and coming near the boat.

for they all saw Him and were terrified. He, however, immediately spoke to them. "There is no danger," He said; "it is I; be not alarmed."

"Why are you so easily frightened," He replied, "you men of little faith?" Then He rose and reproved the winds and the waves, and there was a perfect calm;

"Where is your faith?" He asked them. But they were filled with terror and amazement, and said to one another, "Who then is this? for He gives orders both to wind and waves, and they obey Him."

But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

But all this has taken place in order that the writings of the Prophets may be fulfilled." At this point the disciples all left Him and fled.

Upon receiving this answer, Pilate was for releasing Him. But the Jews kept shouting, "If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar's. Every one who sets himself up as king declares himself a rebel against Caesar." On hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judge's seat in a place called the Pavement--or in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about six o'clock in the morning. Then he said to the Jews, "There is your king!" read more.
This caused a storm of outcries, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" "Am I to crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king, except Caesar," answered the High Priests. Then Pilate gave Him up to them to be crucified. Accordingly they took Jesus;

Nevertheless even from among the Rulers many believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not avow their belief, for fear they should be shut out from the synagogue. For they loved the glory that comes from men rather than the glory that comes from God.

Now when Peter visited Antioch, I remonstrated with him to his face, because he had incurred just censure. For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party. And along with him the other Jews also concealed their real opinions, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their lack of straightforwardness. read more.
As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs?

After this, Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but for fear of the Jews a secret disciple, asked Pilate's permission to carry away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and removed the body.

Now there was one of the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus--a ruler among the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God; for no one can do these miracles which you are doing, unless God is with him.

Such was their answer, because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already settled among themselves that if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be excluded from the synagogue.

Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail wide open, the jailer drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

But all this has taken place in order that the writings of the Prophets may be fulfilled." At this point the disciples all left Him and fled.

For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became like dead men.