Be not afraid

[RAGGANDI]

I don’t know where I read this (it might even have been on these forums), but is the phrase “be not afraid” mentioned in the Bible 365 times? It sounds plausible and it would actually be very cool. We would only be afraid one day every 4 years during leap year (or election year)

Does anybody have the resources or time to verify this? It wouldn’t be earth-shattering if it isn’t verified, but again, it is a cool piece of trivia, if true.

 

[ricko]

Well, I have read the bible cover to cover several times and then every day. I can say for certain that that phrase is not repeated 365 times. Maybe once or twice. Sounds like someone is starting a new Urban Myth.

I won’t waste my time but if you really want to verify it just pull up an online version of the bible and do a search for that phrase.

 

[ricko]

There was a link below this thread to an online bible and I couldn’t resist. I got 7 hits. So this myth is BUSTED!

 

[Starwynd]

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Deut 1:17

Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;

Deut 7:18

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, **be not afraid **of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 20:1-3

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:8-10

King James Version

 

[Henning]

Raggandi,

This is what I found in the KJV

“fear not” 63x (48 of which in the OT)
“not be afraid” 13x (12 of which in the OT)
“be not afraid” 28x (19 of which in the OT)

for a total of 104x, 261x short of 365

“fear” by itself appears 400x in the KJV bible (316 of which in OT)
“afraid” 193x (158 of which in the OT)

 

[RAGGANDI]

Raggandi,

This is what I found in the KJV

“fear not” 63x (48 of which in the OT)
“not be afraid” 13x (12 of which in the OT)
“be not afraid” 28x (19 of which in the OT)

for a total of 104x, 261x short of 365

“fear” by itself appears 400x in the KJV bible (316 of which in OT)
“afraid” 193x (158 of which in the OT)

Thanks for all of the effort. It would have been a cool piece of trivia. The bottom line is that no matter how many times He has told us not to be afraid, sometimes we still are. But I guess it’s good to have a healthy fear sometimes. I think sometimes it forces us to examine our faith in His mercy. A healthy fear is not so much a fear of God, but a fear of disappointing Him.

 

[BlestOne]

I got 50 when I entered be not afraid in the online douay rheims bible…

 

[chrpenka]

Hello,

have anyone tried to search in the original language in which the Bible was written? I mean to look for all expression for “fear not, do not be afraid, let not your heart be trembled” in OT in Hebrew and in NT in Greek.
I used the BlueletterBible websites and found about 200 altogether (NT + OT) but still, where is the rest hiding?
Because so many people and priests are saying that “Fear not” is 365 times in the Bible, it will be probably our ignorance of the Scripture which does not allow us to find them all, IMHO.

God bless you