Fear in the King James Bible: Count and Context

The exact phrase “fear not” appears 80 times in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, but the word “fear” itself appears 365 times in total. This article explains how those numbers are derived, what they mean in context, and why the count varies depending on how you search.

Formula

The calculator above computes two simple derived values from the two raw counts you provide (or the defaults shown). The percentage is calculated as:

Percentage = (Occurrences of “fear not” ÷ Total occurrences of “fear”) × 100

The ratio is simply:

Ratio = Occurrences of “fear not” ÷ Total occurrences of “fear”

Variables: t = total occurrences of the word “fear” (unitless count), f = occurrences of the phrase “fear not” (unitless count). Both are positive integers.

Worked Example

Using the default values from the calculator block (t = 365, f = 80):

1. Percentage = (80 ÷ 365) × 100 = 21.9178… ≈ 21.9%
2. Ratio = 80 ÷ 365 = 0.219178… ≈ 0.219

So about 22% of all occurrences of “fear” in the KJV are part of the phrase “fear not.” The calculator rounds to 1 decimal place for the percentage and 3 for the ratio, matching the output above.

How the Count Is Determined

The numbers come from digital concordances of the King James Version, which is a public-domain text. Different tools may give slightly different counts because of how they handle:

• Case sensitivity: Some searches count “Fear” (capitalized) separately from “fear.” Most concordances treat them as the same word.
• Included forms: “Fear” as a noun (e.g., “the fear of the Lord”) and as a verb (e.g., “fear not”) are usually counted together. Some tools list them separately.
• Phrase matching: “Fear not” is an exact phrase, but the KJV also has “fear thou not” (Isaiah 41:10, 43:5) and “fear not” with intervening words in some verses. Those are not counted in the simple 80.

The 365 figure is widely cited and comes from the KJV’s own word-frequency lists. It includes every verse where the word appears, regardless of form. The 80 figure for “fear not” is also commonly cited, but it excludes variants like “fear not thou” or “fear ye not.” If you include those, the number rises to about 90.

Why the Number 365 Is Often Highlighted

Many readers notice that 365 matches the number of days in a year, leading to the popular saying that there is “one ‘fear not’ for every day of the year.” This is a coincidence—the KJV translators did not aim for that number—but it has become a common devotional talking point. The actual distribution is not one per day; some chapters have multiple instances, and many have none. The number 365 is simply the total count of the word “fear” in all its forms.

Common Misconceptions

A frequent error is to claim that “fear not” appears 365 times. That is false. The phrase “fear not” (exactly, as two words) appears 80 times. The word “fear” appears 365 times. Another misconception is that the KJV contains 365 “fear nots” because of the day-year link. This is a modern myth, not a textual fact.

Another mix-up involves the Old vs. New Testament split. The word “fear” appears about 250 times in the Old Testament and about 115 times in the New Testament. The phrase “fear not” is more common in the New Testament, especially in the Gospels, where angels and Jesus use it to reassure people.

How to Search the KJV Yourself

If you want to verify the counts, you can use any online KJV text that allows word searches. Steps:

1. Open a reliable KJV text (e.g., Bible Gateway, Blue Letter Bible, or a plain text file).
2. Use the search function and enter fear (without quotes). Note the total number of results.
3. Then search for “fear not” (with quotes) to get the exact phrase count.
4. Compare the two numbers. The first should be near 365, the second near 80.

Be aware that some sites include the Apocrypha (which the KJV originally included) in their counts. The 365 and 80 figures refer to the 66 books of the Protestant canon only.

Why the Count Matters for Readers

Knowing the exact count helps in Bible study and sermon preparation. It allows you to accurately quote the frequency of a theme without exaggeration. For example, you can correctly say, “The KJV uses ‘fear not’ 80 times,” and then add, “The word ‘fear’ appears 365 times, which is a memorable coincidence with the calendar year.” This precision avoids the embarrassment of repeating a common but false statistic.

Limitations of the Count

The counts are based on the KJV text as published in 1769 (the standard edition). Earlier editions may differ slightly. Also, the count does not include synonyms like “afraid” (which appears about 65 times) or “dread” (about 20 times). If you were to include those, the total for fear-related words would be higher. The 365 figure is only for the single word “fear.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times does “fear not” appear in the KJV?

Exactly 80 times, as an exact two-word phrase. This does not include variations like “fear thou not” or “fear ye not,” which would add about 10 more instances.

Is it true that “fear not” appears 365 times?

No. The word “fear” appears 365 times, but the phrase “fear not” appears only 80 times. The 365 number is for the single word, not the phrase.

Why do some websites say “fear not” appears 365 times?

Those sites are likely confusing the word count with the phrase count, or they are repeating a popular myth without checking. The accurate numbers are 365 for “fear” and 80 for “fear not.”

Does the count include the Apocrypha?

No. The standard KJV used by Protestants has 66 books, and the counts refer to those books. The original KJV of 1611 included the Apocrypha, but modern editions usually omit it, and the 365/80 figures are for the 66-book canon.

How can I find every verse with “fear not”?

Use a searchable online KJV and type “fear not” in quotes. You will get a list of 80 verses. You can also find lists in concordances or Bible software.

What is the most famous “fear not” verse?

Isaiah 41:10 (“Fear thou not; for I am with thee”) and Luke 2:10 (“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy”) are among the most quoted. Both are in the 80 count.

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in t | Total occurrences of "fear" | - | 365 | 0
in f | Occurrences of "fear not" | - | 80 | 0
out pct | Percentage "fear not" of total | % | (f / t) * 100 | 1
out ratio | Ratio of "fear not" to "fear" | - | f / t | 3