God's answer to fear is His presence. "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee... thou art mine" (Isaiah 43:1). "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4). Jesus said "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matthew 14:27), and the risen Christ holds "the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:17-18). "Perfect love casteth out fear" (1 John 4:18).
"Fear not" is one of the most repeated commands in the Bible, and it almost always comes with a reason: God is with you. These twelve King James passages focus on the fear not promises—spoken to Abram, to Israel at the Red Sea, to the disciples in a storm, and to John before the risen Christ. For day-to-day anxious thoughts, see our anxiety and worrying pages; for overload, see stress.
Fear not: God's repeated word
1. Genesis 15:1
"After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
This is the first "Fear not" in the KJV, spoken by God to Abram. God does not explain the future; He offers Himself: "I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
2. Isaiah 43:1
"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."
God answers fear with identity: He created you, formed you, redeemed you, and called you by name. "Thou art mine."
3. Isaiah 41:13
"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
A picture of God holding your right hand. You can fear not, not because danger is absent, but because He helps.
4. Exodus 14:13
"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever."
Trapped between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea, Israel heard: fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Sometimes faith means waiting for God to move.
Be not afraid: Jesus is here
5. Matthew 14:27
"But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
In a storm at night, the disciples thought Jesus walking on the water was a spirit. His answer: "it is I." His presence changes what we are afraid of.
6. Mark 5:36
"As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe."
Jairus had just been told his daughter was dead. Jesus said, "Be not afraid, only believe." Faith is the alternative to fear, even after the worst news.
7. Revelation 1:17-18
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
John fell as dead before the risen Christ, who laid His right hand on him and said, "Fear not." The One who holds the keys of hell and of death answers our deepest fear.
8. Psalms 23:4
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
I will fear no evil—not because the valley is not dark, but because "thou art with me."
Love and trust drive out fear
9. 1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
Perfect love casts out fear, because fear "hath torment" (dread of punishment). Knowing God's love secures you against the fear of judgment.
10. Romans 8:15
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
Believers have not received a spirit of slavery to fear but the Spirit of adoption, crying "Abba, Father." You are a child, not a slave.
11. Luke 12:32
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Jesus calls His followers "little flock" and says it is the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom. Fear shrinks when we see God's heart toward us.
12. Psalms 46:2
"Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;"
Even if the earth is removed and the mountains fall into the sea, "therefore will not we fear"—because God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1).
A short prayer
Father, You have called me by name, and I am Yours. When fear rises, remind me that You hold my right hand. Jesus, speak "it is I" into my storm. Let Your perfect love cast out my fear, and help me stand still and see Your salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
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Frequently asked questions
How many times does the Bible say "fear not"?
In the KJV, the exact phrase "fear not" appears 62 times (a few of those describe people who "fear not" God), and "be not afraid" appears another 28 times. The popular claim of 365 "fear nots" is not supported by a count of the KJV text, but the command is still one of the most repeated in Scripture.
What is the best Bible verse for fear?
Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 43:1, Psalm 23:4, Joshua 1:9, and 2 Timothy 1:7 are among the most shared. This page focuses on the "fear not" promises; our anxiety page covers 2 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:6-7.
What is the difference between fear and anxiety in the Bible?
Scripture often addresses fear as a response to a present threat (a storm, an army, bad news) and answers it with God's presence. Anxiety and worry focus on what might happen and are answered with prayer and trust (Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:34).
Should Christians fear God?
"The fear of the LORD" means reverent awe and is called the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). It is different from the tormenting fear that perfect love casts out (1 John 4:18). See our wisdom page.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about anxiety · Bible verses about courage · Bible verses about protection · Bible verses about trusting God · Bible verses about worrying
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