cowardice

⁸But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and drug users, and idolaters, and all liars, these shall be a part of the pool burning with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”

¹The impious flees, though no one pursues. But the just, like a confident lion, shall be without dread.

⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint.

²⁵Whoever fears man will quickly fall. Whoever hopes in the Lord shall be lifted up.

¹¹Blessed are you when they have slandered you, and persecuted you, and spoken all kinds of evil against you, falsely, for my sake: ¹²be glad and exult, for your reward in heaven is plentiful. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

⁶Act manfully and be strengthened. Do not be afraid, and do not dread at the sight of them. For the Lord your God himself is your commander, and he will neither dismiss nor abandon you.”

¹¹But when Cephas had arrived at Antioch, I stood against him to his face, because he was blameworthy. ¹²For before certain ones arrived from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they had arrived, he drew apart and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³And the other Jews consented to his pretense, so that even Barnabas was led by them into that falseness. ¹⁴But when I had seen that they were not walking correctly, by the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone: “If you, while you are a Jew, are living like the Gentiles and not the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to keep the customs of the Jews?”

⁶⁶And while Peter was in the court below, one of the maidservants of the high priest arrived. ⁶⁷And when she had seen Peter warming himself, she stared at him, and she said: “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you saying.” And he went outside, in front of the court; and a rooster crowed. ⁶⁹Then again, when a maidservant had seen him, she began to say to the bystanders, “For this is one of them.” ⁷⁰But he denied it again. And after a little while, again those standing near said to Peter: “In truth, you are one of them. For you, too, are a Galilean.” ⁷¹Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, “For I do not know this man, about whom you are speaking.”

⁵⁴And apprehending him, they led him to the house of the high priest. Yet truly, Peter followed at a distance. ⁵⁵Now as they were sitting around a fire, which had been kindled in the middle of the atrium, Peter was in their midst. ⁵⁶And when a certain woman servant had seen him sitting in its light, and had looked at him intently, she said, “This one was also with him.” ⁵⁷But he denied him by saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸And after a little while, another one, seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” Yet Peter said, “O man, I am not.” ⁵⁹And after the interval of about one hour had passed, someone else affirmed it, saying: “Truly, this one also was with him. For he is also a Galilean.”

³Speak to the people, and proclaim in the hearing of all, ‘Whoever has dread or fear, let him return.’ And twenty-two thousand of the men from the people withdrew from Mount Gilead and returned, and only ten thousand remained.

¹²It is I, I myself, who will console you. Who are you that you would be afraid of a mortal man, and of a son of man, who will wither like the grass?