Top 28 Powerful Bible Verses About the Fear of God

Scripture is full of examples describing God as a powerful, positive, and loving force. But the Bible uses fear over 300 times when referring to God. Is fear just the mere respect or awe of God? Or is it something deeper? How can we fear God when His "perfect love expels all fear"?

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of fear and love working hand-in-hand. Jesus warned us to have fear of God while demonstrating His perfect love on the cross. He told us that we should be hating evil while showing mercy and grace for the people He encountered. Jesus Christ understood that fearing God helps us from falling into our sinful nature.

Bible Verses About Fear of God

Fearing the Lord is important to obedience to God. Godly fear helps you trust in the Lord and His plans. Jesus Christ is a good shepherd. A good shepherd understands that they can keep their sheep safe within the fence. He wants you to depart from evil. He wants to walk with you during the hard times. God despises sin. Learn to fear the Lord. When you learn to fear God, you will learn to trust in God. Here are our editor's picks of the best Bible verses about fear:

1. Proverbs 1:7 KJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

2. Proverbs 9:10 KJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

3. Proverbs 2:1-5 KJV

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

4. Proverbs 8:13 KJV

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

5. Proverbs 14:27 KJV

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

6. Proverbs 15:16 KJV

Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.

7. Proverbs 19:23 KJV

The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

8. 2 Samuel 23:3 KJV

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

9. 2 Chronicles 26:5 KJV

And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

10. Matthew 10:28 KJV

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

11. Job 28:28 KJV

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

12. Job 31:23 KJV

For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

13. Exodus 18:21 KJV

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

14. Exodus 20:20 KJV

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

15. 2 Chronicles 19:7 KJV

Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

16. Psalms 25:14 KJV

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

17. Psalms 64:9 KJV

And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

18. Psalms 34:11 KJV

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

19. Psalms 111:10 KJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

20. Psalms 23:1-6 KJV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

21. Luke 1:50 KJV

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

22. 1 Peter 5:6-7 KJV

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

23. Philippians 2:12-13 KJV

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

24. Deuteronomy 11:22 KJV

For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;

25. Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

26. Romans 8:38-39 KJV

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

27. Isaiah 6:3-5 KJV

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

28. Acts 9:31 KJV

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Final Words

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present. Trusting God's plan requires that you fear Him. As Christians, we serve a God who hates sin. We need to fear God to overcome sin. God is awe-inspiring. He can "destroy both soul and body in hell". The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So have fear in the Lord, knowing He only wants the best for you. May you experience victory through Jesus Christ today!

God bless!