18 Bible Verses about Cowardice
Most Relevant Verses
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.
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. That was why his parents said, "He is of full age: ask him himself."
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.
On that same first day of the week, when it was evening and, for fear of the Jews, the doors of the house where the disciples were, were locked, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you!"
And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.
and if we say 'a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."
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.
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."
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."read more.
"Man, I don't know what you mean," replied Peter. No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed.
Meanwhile Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so also was another disciple. The latter was known to the High Priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the High Priest's palace. 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.read more.
Now because it was cold the servants and the police had lighted a charcoal fire, and were standing and warming themselves; and Peter too remained with them, standing and warming himself.
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." One of the High Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Once more Peter denied it, and immediately a cock crowed.
Then the whole population of the Gerasenes and of the adjacent districts begged Him to depart from them; for their terror was great. So He went on board and returned.
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.
"But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand,read more.
for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives.
The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their Rulers, Elders, and Scribes, with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family. So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded of them, "By what power or in what name have you done this?"read more.
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people, if we to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame, as to how this man has been cured; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom *you* crucified, but whom *God* has raised from among the dead-- through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.
But as for cowards and the unfaithful, and the polluted, and murderers, fornicators, and those who practise magic or worship idols, and all liars--the portion allotted to them shall be in the Lake which burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death."
From Thematic Bible
Cowardice » Instances of » Peter, in denying the lord
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."
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » Israel before goliath
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The ten spies
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » When they saw jesus walking on the sea
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."
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » During the storm at sea
"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?"
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » In fearing to attempt the conquest of canaan
Cowardice » Instances of » Abraham, in calling his wife his sister
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » David at the time of absalom's rebellion
Cowardice » Instances of » The ten spies
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The disciples
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » Canaanites
Cowardice » Instances of » Pilate, in condemning jesus, through fear of the people
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;
Cowardice » Instances of » Early converts among the rulers
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » David, in fleeing from absalom
Cowardice » Instances of » Ephraimites and manassehites
Cowardice » Instances of » Aaron, in yielding to the israelites, when they demanded an idol
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » The followers of gideon
Cowardice » Cowardice, examples of » Ephraim
Cowardice » Instances of » Peter and other Christians, at antioch (of syria)
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?
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » To fight with the philistines
Cowardice » Instances of » Joseph of arimathaea, secretly a disciple
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » Nicodemus, in coming to jesus by night
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » Isaac, in calling his wife his sister
Cowardice » Instances of » Amoritish kings
Cowardice » Instances of » The israelites » To meet goliath
Cowardice » Instances of » Samuel, fearing to obey God's command to anoint a king in saul's place
Cowardice » Instances of » Parents of the blind man, who was restored to sight
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » Jacob, in flying from laban
Cowardice » Instances of » The philippian jailer
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » The disciples » When jesus was apprehended
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.
Cowardice » Instances of » Adam, in attempting to shift responsibility for his sin upon eve
Cowardice » Instances of » Guards of the sepulcher of jesus
For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became like dead men.