Luke 12 · Verse 4

Luke 12:4

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luke 12:4, King James Version

Luke 12:4 in other translations

BSBI tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
WEB“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
ASVAnd I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
YLT‘And I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things are not having anything over to do;
DARBYBut I say to you, my friends, Fear not those who kill the body and after this have no more that they can do.
BBEAnd I say to you, my friends, Have no fear of those who may put the body to death, and are able to do no more than that.
WebsterAnd I say to you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

What does Luke 12:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 12:4-5
4-5. I say, &c.--You will say, That may cost us our life. Be it so; but, "My friends, there their power ends." He calls them "my friends" here, not in any loose sense, but, as we think, from the feeling He then had that in this "killing of the body" He and they were going to be affectingly one with each other.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verses 2-9. Mt 10:26. Also Mt 10:27-32.

Verse 4.

(c) "my friend" Jn 15:14 (d) "Be not afraid" Is 51:7-13, Mt 10:28

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Kill the body - See on Mat 10:28 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 12:1-12

A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from…

Read the full comment on Luke 12:1-12 →

Luke 12:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΛέγωLegōI sayG3004
δὲdenowG1161
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
τοῖςtoisthoseG3588
φίλοιςphiloisfriendsG5384
μου·mouof Mine;G3165
μὴmēnotG3361
φοβηθῆτεphobēthēteyou may fearG5399
ἀπὸapobecauseG575
τῶνtōnof thoseG3588
ἀποκτεινόντωνapokteinontōnkillingG615
τὸtotheG3588
σῶμαsōmabodyG4983
καὶkaiandG2532
μετὰmetaafterG3326
ταῦταtautathese thingsG3778
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐχόντωνechontōnbeing ableG2192
περισσότερόνperissoteronmore excessiveG4055
τιtianythingG5100
ποιῆσαι.poiēsaito do.G4160

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 12:4

  • Matthew 10:28

    And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

  • Jeremiah 1:8

    Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

  • Revelation 2:10

    Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

  • Philippians 1:28

    And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

  • 1 Peter 3:14

    But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

  • Isaiah 51:7-13

    Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? …

  • Daniel 3:16-17

    Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

  • James 2:23

    And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

  • Acts 20:24

    But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

  • Ezekiel 2:6

    And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

  • Jeremiah 26:14-15

    As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

  • Acts 4:13

    Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
my.
So 5:1,16; Isa 41:8; Joh 15:14; Jas 2:23
Be.
Isa 51:7-13; Jer 1:8,17; 26:14,15; Eze 2:6; Da 3:16,17; Mt 10:28
Ac 4:13; 20:24; Php 1:28; 1Pe 3:14; Re 2:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 12:3

    Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

  • Luke 12:4

    And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

  • Luke 12:5

    But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Read all of Luke 12

Luke 12:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas os digo, amigos míos: No temáis de los que matan el cuerpo, y después no tienen más que hacer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais je vous dis à vous, mes amis: Ne craignez pas ceux qui tuent le corps et qui après cela ne peuvent rien faire de plus;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich sage aber euch, meinen Freunden: Fürchtet euch nicht vor denen, die den Leib töten und nach diesem nichts weiter zu tun vermögen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dico autem vobis amicis meis: Ne terreamini ab his qui occidunt corpus, et post hæc non habent amplius quid faciant.