phobos · fear

What it means

phobos (φόβος) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “fear”.

Also reverent respect.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The fear that seizes one before danger or something terrible.
2. Deep respect, above all for God.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Fear: what one feels before a danger and, before God, the respect that recognizes who he is. From the same verb comes φοβέομαι, ‘fear’ (G5399).

• “Great fear” before what God does Luke 2:9Mark 4:41Acts 5:11
• “For fear of the Jews” John 7:13John 20:19Matthew 28:4
• “In the fear of the Lord”: respect for God Acts 9:312 Corinthians 7:1Philippians 2:12
• “There is no fear in love” 1 John 4:18Romans 8:15Hebrews 2:15
• “To the one {owed} fear, fear” Romans 13:7Ephesians 6:5

How we translate it

“Fear” 45 times, both for fright before a human danger (“for fear of the Jews”, John 20:19; “for fear of him the guards shook”, Matthew 28:4) and for what is felt before God or before what he does (“they feared with a great fear”, Mark 4:41; “in the fear of the Lord”, Acts 9:31); the context shows which it is.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• fear ×45
• fears ×1
• them ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×3
• Mark×1
• Luke×7
• John×3
• Acts×5
• Romans×5
• 1 Corinthians×1
• 2 Corinthians×5
• Ephesians×2
• Philippians×1
• 1 Timothy×1
• Hebrews×1
• 1 Peter×5
• 1 John×3
• Jude×1
• Revelation×3

• Matthew 14:26

  But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

• Matthew 28:4

  And for fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

• Matthew 28:8

  And going away quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples.

• Mark 4:41

  And they feared with a great fear and were saying to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

• Luke 1:12

  And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

• Luke 1:65

  And fear came on all who lived around them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these things were being talked about,

• Luke 2:9

  And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were afraid with great fear.

• Luke 5:26

  And amazement seized them all, and they were glorifying God, and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen incredible things today.”

• Luke 7:16

  And fear seized all, and they were glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has been raised up among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”

• Luke 8:37

  And all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked him to go away from them, because they were gripped with great fear. So he got into a boat and returned.

• Luke 21:26

  people fainting from fear and expectation of the things coming on the inhabited world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

• John 7:13

  Yet no one was speaking openly about him for fear of the Jews.

• John 19:38

  After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave permission. So he came and took away his body.

• John 20:19

  So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors where the disciples were had been locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle and says to them, “Peace to you.”

• Acts 2:43

  And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

• Acts 5:5

  And hearing these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

• Acts 5:11

  And great fear came upon the whole assembly and upon all who heard these things.

• Acts 9:31

  So the assembly throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied.

• Acts 19:17

  And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.

• Romans 3:18

  there is no fear of God before their eyes.

• Romans 8:15

  For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry out, Abba, Father.

• Romans 13:3

  For rulers are not a cause of fear to good work, but to bad. Do you want, then, not to fear the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it;

• Romans 13:7

  Pay to all what is owed: to the one owed tribute, tribute; to the one owed tax, tax; to the one owed fear, fear; to the one owed honor, honor.

• 1 Corinthians 2:3

  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,

• 2 Corinthians 5:11

  Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but to God we have been made manifest; and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences.

• 2 Corinthians 7:1

  Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, completing holiness in the fear of God.

• 2 Corinthians 7:5

  For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way: outside fights, inside fears.

• 2 Corinthians 7:11

  For look at this very thing, being grieved according to God: how much earnestness it produced in you, even defense, even indignation, even fear, even longing, even zeal, even punishment! In everything you showed yourselves to be pure in the matter.

• 2 Corinthians 7:15

  And his affections are all the more toward you as he remembers the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you welcomed him.

• Ephesians 5:21

  submitting to one another in the fear of the Messiah.

• Ephesians 6:5

  Slaves, obey those who are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your heart, as to the Messiah,

• Philippians 2:12

  So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

• 1 Timothy 5:20

  Those who sin rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may have fear.

• Hebrews 2:15

  and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery throughout all their lives.

• 1 Peter 1:17

  And if you call on as Father the one who judges without partiality according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your pilgrimage,

• 1 Peter 2:18

  Household servants, submit yourselves in all fear to your masters, not only to the good and considerate but also to the harsh.

• 1 Peter 3:2

  when they observe your pure conduct in fear.

• 1 Peter 3:14

  But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you would be happy. And do not be afraid of them nor be troubled,

• 1 Peter 3:16

  but with gentleness and fear, having a good conscience, so that in what you are spoken against, those who abuse your good conduct in the Messiah may be put to shame.

• 1 John 4:18

  There is no fear in love, but complete love casts fear out, because fear has to do with punishment; and whoever fears has not been brought to completion in love.

And 7 more times.