13 Bible Verses About the Fear of God
Fear is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, the fear of God signifies reverence and love for God. In the New Testament, it is viewed as a religious attitude before God. Discover 13 Bible about the fear of God with Hozana.
13 Biblical Passages About the Fear of God
7 Old Testament Passages on the Fear of God
"Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.'" (Exodus 20:20)
"He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God." (Joshua 4:24)
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." ( 111:10, French citation: Ps. 110:10)
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)
"To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." (Proverbs 8:13)
"The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; she is created with the faithful in the womb. She has made her dwelling among human beings, an eternal foundation; she will abide among their descendants. Wisdom is full with the fear of the Lord; she intoxicates them with her fruits. She will fill their houses with desirable goods, and their storehouses with her produce. Wisdom is crowned with the fear of the Lord; she makes peace and health flourish. Both are gifts of God that lead to happiness, a just pride exalts those who love God. Wisdom pours forth knowledge and sound judgment like rain; she exalts the glory of those who possess her. Wisdom is rooted in the fear of the Lord, and her branches are long life. Fear of the Lord drives away sins; whoever clings to it turns away wrath." (Sirach 1:14-21, deuterocanonical)
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears." (Isaiah 11:1-3)
6 New Testament Passages on the Fear of God
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." ( 10:28)
"Peter went down and said to the men, 'I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?' They replied, 'We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.'" (Acts 10:21-22)
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (Romans 8:15)
"For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.' Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off." (Romans 11:15-22)
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12)
"This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:17-18)
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FAQ about the Fear of God
What is the fear of God?
The fear of God is not being afraid of God. Fear in the sense of being scared distances us from Him. The fear of God, as understood in the Bible, refers to an attitude of reverence and humility before God. Far from driving us away or causing distrust, the fear of God: allows us to recognize ourselves as children before Him and to surrender trustfully to His will.
What are the fruits of the fear of God according to the Bible?
One verse from the book of Proverbs says: "Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life."
(Proverbs 22:4)
Which Psalm speaks about the fear of God?
The Psalms emphasize the importance of living in reverence for God. One such Psalm contrasts the troubles of the “wicked” (those who live as though God does not exist) with the path of the righteous, who live in the fear of the Lord: "Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones."
(Psalm 37:27–28)
