I saw it again … the meme that says, “ ‘Do Not Be Afraid’ is written in the Bible 365 times … one for each day of the year!” I hate to tell you this, but it just isn’t so. A simple Bible search reveals that the word “afraid” only appears 205 time in the entire Bible. It does depend which version of the Bible you search, but none will give you that tidy number … 365. None of them will even get close.
The command “Do not be afraid” occurs 70 time in the NIV, with other translations showing similar results. Throw in “Do not fear,” and “Do not worry” you will find another 26 references. So, my grand total was 96 commands not to be afraid afeard or worried. I hate to be pedantic, but even out of the 96, I’m pretty sure they don’t all apply to me. The angel Gabriel saying it to Mary does not have a direct application to my life. Context matters!
I did check my findings on the web … and many people have arrived at the same conclusion. The most generous estimate I found was 119 references, but that person’s search included about a dozen synonyms for “fear.” Not all of those reference were commands. I found another article claiming, “there are nearly 400 verses telling the faithful not to have fear.” That’s possible (and would require more research) but the meme said … “Do Not Be Afraid” appears 365 times. I thought maybe there was still hope for the saying when I found a Facebook user who promised she would share a “Do Not Be Afraid” post each day of the year … her posts stopped, without explanation, at day 132.
So, what’s my point? First, I think Christians, of all people, should be careful with the facts … especially when it comes to God’s Word. An encouraging meme that isn’t true, will only encourage those who don’t study the Bible for themselves. Second, does the number really matter? If it only appears 70 times, does that mean I’m free to worry the other 295 days of the year? How many times does God have to say something before we believe Him?
