Fear Not

The below is a reposting of a post I had written March of 2009. With almost 30,000 since that time from around the world, over 13,000 just the six months of 2012, what is the attraction? Why are so many people interested in this blog? What is going on in this world? Read the following short blog and give me your idea as to what is happening.

I have heard for years that there are 365 “fear not’s” in the bible, one for every day of the week. What a comfort to believe that there is one for every day of the week. And yet, one “fear not” from Jesus is enough, right?

Well, I hate to rain on anyone’s parade, but I have dug and hunted and I can not even find 100 “fear not’s.”

• King James Version: 74 – fear not; 29 – be not afraid
• New American Standard Bible:  4 – fear not; 57 – do not fear; 46 – do not be afraid

This information is not earth shaking. It’s just a cute saying that is wrong and way off. Don’t let it shake your faith, just Fear Not!

At the very best the word for Fear, in all of it’s forms, is only listed 314 times in the original languages which includes words that have been translated into words such as terrible, dreadful, reverence, and terrible acts. As for the different translations blueletterbible.com also list the following:

NKJV 129, NIV 66, NASB 127, ASV 148, DBY 155, HNV 44, NLT 38, ESV 137, RSV 139, YNG 115, WEB 144

The fact is, it would be just as true if it were listed only one time in scripture.

When God said, “let there be light,” He only had to say it one time for it to happen. It does not have to be listed 365 times.

How Many Times Does The Bible Say “Fear Not?”

I have heard for years that there are 365 “fear not‘s” in the bible, one for every day of the week. What a comfort to believe that there is one for every day of the week. And yet, one “fear not” from Jesus is enough, right?

I thought that I would do a search of my own I have dug and hunted and I can not even find 100 “fear not’s.”

• King James Version: 74 – fear not; 29 – be not afraid
• New American Standard Bible:  4 – fear not; 57 – do not fear; 46 – do not be afraid

This information is not earth shaking. It’s just a cute saying that seems to be, to this point, incorrect. Don’t let it shake your faith, just Fear Not!

At the very best the word for Fear, in all of it’s forms, is only listed 314 times in the original languages which includes words that have been translated into words such as terrible, dreadful, reverence, and terrible acts. As for the different translations blueletterbible.com also list the following:

NKJV 129, NIV 66, NASB 127, ASV 148, DBY 155, HNV 44, NLT 38, ESV 137, RSV 139, YNG 115, WEB 144

The fact is, it would be just as true if it were listed only one time in scripture.

When God said, “let there be light,” He only had to say it one time for it to happen. It does not have to be listed 365 times. If we really needed that mean “fear not’s” then February 29, which comes every 4 years, would be left for fear to run lose, right?