Luke 12:4
What does Luke 12:4 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 12:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 12:4 means
Calling them “my friends,” Jesus comforts and emboldens. He recognizes real danger—there are people who can kill the body—but He relativizes their power: after death, they can do no more. This reorders fear. Death is not the ultimate horizon for those who belong to God. Such perspective steadies disciples under persecution and criticism. It does not deny pain or loss, but frames them under God’s sovereignty. Courage is not recklessness; it is trust in the One who holds our future beyond the grave. By naming them friends, Jesus personalizes the call, assuring them of His care as He demands their allegiance.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And 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.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`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;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But I say to you, my friends, Fear not those who kill the body and after this have no more that they can do.
Context
Jesus moves from exposing hypocrisy to fortifying hearts against persecution. The command not to fear human threats prepares the stronger call to fear God alone. By addressing them as friends, He ties courage to relationship, not bravado. This shift sets up the next verse, where He identifies the proper object of fear—the God who judges eternally—before quickly balancing that sobriety with tender assurances of the Father’s detailed care.
v.3Wherefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and what ye have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
v.4This passage
v.5But I will warn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 26:14
But as for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.
- John 15:14
Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you.
- Daniel 3:16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.
- Song of Solomon 5:16
His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
- Philippians 1:28
and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;
- Jeremiah 1:8
Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.
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