God’s Word Translation
Luke 12:5
5I’ll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the power to throw you into hell after killing you. I’m warning you to be afraid of him.
Luke 12:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
- New King James Version (NKJV)But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
Context of Luke 12:5
3Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. Whatever you have whispered in private rooms will be shouted from the housetops. 4“My friends, I can guarantee that you don’t need to be afraid of those who kill the body. After that they can’t do anything more. I’ll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the power to throw you into hell after killing you. I’m warning you to be afraid of him. 6“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two cents? God doesn’t forget any of them. 7Even every hair on your head has been counted. Don’t be afraid! You are worth more than many sparrows.
Read all of Luke 12Luke 12:5 word by word
ὑποδείξω δὲ ὑμῖν τίνα φοβηθῆτε· φοβήθητε τὸν μετὰ τὸ ἀποκτεῖναι ἔχοντα ἐξουσίαν ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν γέενναν. ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν· τοῦτον φοβήθητε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- I will forewarnὑποδείκνυμιhupodeiknumi · to showG5263
- youσύsu · youG4771
- whomτίςtis · which?G5101
- ye shall fearφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- he hath killedἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
- hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
- to castἐμβάλλωemballō · to throw inG1685
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- hellγέενναgeenna · hell: GehennaG1067
- yeaναίnai · yesG3483
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
Cross-references for Luke 12:5
- Mark 13:23Be on your guard! I have told you everything before it happens.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this.
- Proverbs 14:26In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have a place of refuge.
- Jeremiah 5:22Don’t you fear me?” asks the Lord. “Don’t you tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, a permanent barrier that it cannot cross. Although the waves toss continuously, they can’t break through. Although they roar, they can’t cross it.
- Jeremiah 10:7Everyone fears you, O King of the Nations. This is what you deserve. No one is like you among all the wise people in the nations or in all their kingdoms.
- Revelation 14:7The angel said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the time has come for him to judge. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs.”
- Revelation 15:4Lord, who won’t fear and praise your name? You are the only holy one, and all the nations will come to worship you because they know about your fair judgments.”
- Psalms 9:17Wicked people, all the nations who forget God, will return to the grave.
- Matthew 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
- Matthew 25:41“Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels!
- 2 Peter 2:4God didn’t spare angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, where he has secured them with chains of darkness and is holding them for judgment.
- Revelation 20:14Death and hell were thrown into the fiery lake. (The fiery lake is the second death.)
Commentaries on Luke 12:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Fear him - Even the friends of God are commanded to fear God, as a being who has authority to send both body and soul into hell. Therefore it is proper even for the most holy persons to maintain a fear of God, as the punisher of all unrighteousness. A man has but one life to lose, and one soul to save; and it is madness to sacrifice the salvation of the soul to the preservation of the life.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-9Verses 2-9 Nothing covered - See the notes at Matthew 10:26-32. Luke 12:3 Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops - See the notes at Matthew 10:27. The custom of making proclamation from the tops or roofs of houses still prevails in the East. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 51,52) says: “At the present day, local governors in country districts cause their commands thus to be published. Their proclamations are generally made in the evening…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5hell (Greek Gehenna): Gehenna was the Valley of Hinnom, a ravine on the southwest side of Jerusalem. It became a picture of hell because some Israelites had sacrificed their children there to false gods (Jeremiah 32:35). Jesus taught his disciples to never be afraid of enemies who can only take away their life on earth. Instead, they should fear God, who alone has authority over final judgment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 12:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries