36 Bible Verses about Cowardice
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Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him as Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took His body away.
In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
Though he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, since they regarded him as a prophet.
But if we say, ‘From men,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought John was a prophet.”
But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and ran away.
The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear.
When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!” Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,
Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What is this you’ve done?” The men knew he was fleeing from the Lord’s presence, because he had told them.
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.” But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!” read more.
And again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.” Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed,
While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s servants came. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went out to the entryway, and a rooster crowed. read more.
When the servant saw him again she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them!” But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean!” Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know Him!” After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too!”
“Man, I am not!” Peter said. About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with Him, since he’s also a Galilean.” read more.
But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. Then the slave girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?”
“I am not!” he said. read more.
Now the slaves and the temple police had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of His disciples too, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!” One of the high priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” Peter then denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.
Then all the people of the Gerasene region asked Him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, He returned.
For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.
The officers will continue to address the army and say, ‘Is there any man who is afraid or cowardly? Let him leave and return home, so that his brothers’ hearts won’t melt like his own.’
Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!” So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. read more.
We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”
My brothers who went with me caused the people’s hearts to melt with fear, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: ‘I did it myself.’ Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 of the people turned back, but 10,000 remained.
The officials then said to the king, “This man ought to die, because he is weakening the morale of the warriors who remain in this city and of all the people by speaking to them in this way. This man is not seeking the well-being of this people, but disaster.”
“I will put anxiety in the hearts of those of you who survive in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a wind-driven leaf will put them to flight, and they will flee as one flees from a sword, and fall though no one is pursuing them. They will stumble over one another as if fleeing from a sword though no one is pursuing them. You will not be able to stand against your enemies. You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. read more.
Those who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away because of their sin; they will also waste away because of their fathers’ sins along with theirs.
For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“You will be delivered by returning and resting;
your strength will lie in quiet confidence.
But you are not willing.”
You say, “No!
We will escape on horses”—
therefore you will escape!—
and, “We will ride on fast horses”—
but those who pursue you will be faster.
One thousand will flee at the threat of one,
at the threat of five you will flee,
until you alone remain
like a solitary pole on a mountaintop
or a banner on a hill.
Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. read more.
When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.
Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God. When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction.
The fear of man is a snare,
but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.
You grumbled in your tents and said, ‘The Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites so they would destroy us, because He hated us. Where can we go? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying: The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, fortified to the heavens. We also saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’ “So I said to you: Don’t be terrified or afraid of them! read more.
The Lord your God who goes before you will fight for you, just as you saw Him do for you in Egypt. And you saw in the wilderness how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place.
But if you are afraid to go to the camp, go with Purah your servant. Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened to go to the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant to the outpost of the troops who were in the camp.
When I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
I—I am the One who comforts you.
Who are you that you should fear man who dies,
or a son of man who is given up like grass?
But you have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.
You are in constant dread all day long
because of the fury of the oppressor,
who has set himself to destroy.
But where is the fury of the oppressor?
The prisoner is soon to be set free;
he will not die and go to the Pit,
and his food will not be lacking.
read more.
For I am Yahweh your God
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
His name is Yahweh of Hosts.
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you. They will hand you over to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of My name. It will lead to an opportunity for you to witness. Therefore make up your minds not to prepare your defense ahead of time, read more.
for I will give you such words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will even be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will kill some of you. You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. By your endurance gain your lives.
The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “By what power or in what name have you done this?” read more.
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man—by what means he was healed— let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing here before you healthy.
But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
From Thematic Bible
Cowardice » Instances of » Peter, in denying the lord
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant approached him and she said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean too." But he denied it in front of everyone: "I don't know what you're talking about!" When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!" read more.
And again he denied it with an oath, "I don't know the man!" After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away." Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, "I do not know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed,
While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest's servants came. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus." But he denied it: "I don't know or understand what you're talking about!" Then he went out to the entryway, and a rooster crowed. read more.
When the servant saw him again she began to tell those standing nearby, "This man is one of them!" But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, "You certainly are one of them, since you're also a Galilean!" Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, "I don't know this man you're talking about!" Immediately a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." When he thought about it, he began to weep.
They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest's house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, "This man was with Him too." read more.
But he denied it: "Woman, I don't know Him!" After a little while, someone else saw him and said, "You're one of them too!" "Man, I am not!" Peter said. About an hour later, another kept insisting, "This man was certainly with Him, since he's also a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. Then the slave girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "You aren't one of this man's disciples too, are you?" "I am not!" he said.
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of His disciples too, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!”
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » Israel before goliath
When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.
and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The ten spies
We even saw the Nephilim there." (The offspring of Anak were descended from the Nephilim.) "To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them." Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night.
The men of Ai struck down about 36 of them and chased them from outside the gate to the quarries,
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » When they saw jesus walking on the sea
After they had rowed about three or four miles,
for they all saw Him and were terrified.
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » During the storm at sea
But He said to them,
He said to them,
They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who can this be?
But He was in the stern, sleeping
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » In fearing to attempt the conquest of canaan
Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" read more.
So they said to one another, "Let's appoint a leader and go back to Egypt." Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces [to the ground] in front of the whole assembly of the Israelite community.
"But you were not willing to go up, rebelling against the command of the Lord your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, 'The Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites so they would destroy us, because He hated us. Where can we go? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying: The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, fortified to the heavens. We also saw the descendants of the Anakim there.'
Cowardice » Instances of » Abraham, in calling his wife his sister
When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me but let you live. Please say you're my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account." read more.
When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels. But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with severe plagues because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She's my sister,' so that I took her as my wife? Now, here's your wife. Take her and go!"
Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman." Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, "Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent? read more.
Didn't he himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands." Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. I have also kept you from sinning against Me. Therefore I have not let you touch her. Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours." Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally told them all these things; and the men were terrified. Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, "What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done." Abimelech also said to Abraham, "What did you intend when you did this thing?" Abraham replied, "I thought, 'There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.' Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » David at the time of absalom's rebellion
David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom!
Cowardice » Instances of » The ten spies
However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified.
But the men who had gone up with him responded, "We can't go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!" So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: "The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. We even saw the Nephilim there." (The offspring of Anak were descended from the Nephilim.) "To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them."
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The disciples
Cowardice » Instances of » Canaanites
When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea
When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed
Cowardice » Instances of » Pilate, in condemning jesus, through fear of the people
From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!" When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, "Here is your king!" read more.
But they shouted, "Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your king?" "We have no king but Caesar!" the chief priests answered. So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.
Cowardice » Instances of » Early converts among the rulers
Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Cowardice » Instances of » David, in fleeing from absalom
Then an informer came to David and reported, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, "Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will overtake us, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword." The king's servants said to him, "Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants." read more.
Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace. So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house
Cowardice » Instances of » Ephraimites and manassehites
Joseph's descendants said to Joshua: "Why did you give us only one tribal allotment as an inheritance? We have many people, because the Lord has greatly blessed us." "If you have so many people," Joshua replied to them, "go to the forest and clear [an area] for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, because Ephraim's hill country is too small for you." But the descendants of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its towns and in the Jezreel Valley." read more.
So Joshua replied to Joseph's family (that is, Ephraim and Manasseh), "You have many people and great strength. You will not have just one lot, because the hill country will be yours also. It is a forest; clear it and its outlying areas will be yours. You can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."
Cowardice » Instances of » Aaron, in yielding to the israelites, when they demanded an idol
"Don't be enraged, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know that the people are [intent] on evil. They said to me, 'Make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt-we don't know what has happened to him!' So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off,' and they gave [it] to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!"
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The followers of gideon
Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’”
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » Ephraim
Cowardice » Instances of » Peter and other Christians, at antioch (of syria)
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. For he used to eat with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party. Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. read more.
But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, "If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?"
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » To fight with the philistines
The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear.
Cowardice » Instances of » Joseph of arimathaea, secretly a disciple
After
Cowardice » Instances of » Nicodemus, in coming to jesus by night
There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Him at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him."
Cowardice » Instances of » Isaac, in calling his wife his sister
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say "my wife," [thinking], "The men of the place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman." When Isaac had been there for some time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is really your wife! How could you say, 'She's my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might die on account of her."
Cowardice » Instances of » Amoritish kings
Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » To meet goliath
When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.
Cowardice » Instances of » Samuel, fearing to obey God's command to anoint a king in saul's place
Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!”
The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
Cowardice » Instances of » Parents of the blind man, who was restored to sight
His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him as Messiah,
Cowardice » Instances of » Jacob, in flying from laban
Jacob answered, “I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
Cowardice » Instances of » The philippian jailer
When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » When jesus was apprehended
Cowardice » Instances of » Adam, in attempting to shift responsibility for his sin upon eve
Then the man replied,
Cowardice » Instances of » Guards of the sepulcher of jesus
The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men.
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » In the battle with the people of ai
The men of Ai struck down about 36 of them and chased them from outside the gate to the quarries,
Cowardice » Instances of » Ephraimites
Cowardice » Instances of » 20,000 of gideon's army
Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’”
