Matthew 10:26 kjv
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Matthew 10:26 nkjv
Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Matthew 10:26 niv
"So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
Matthew 10:26 esv
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
Matthew 10:26 nlt
"But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
Matthew 10 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Luke 12:2-3 | "Nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark..." | Parallel statement on revelation. |
| Mark 4:22 | "For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light." | Christ's principle of hidden truth. |
| Luke 8:17 | "For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light." | Similar teaching on light and revelation. |
| Matt 10:28 | "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul..." | Direct instruction against fearing humans. |
| Psa 9:8 | "...he judges the world in righteousness; he executes judgment for the peoples with equity." | God's ultimate just judgment and revelation. |
| Eccl 12:14 | "For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." | All hidden actions will be exposed by God. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | "Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness..." | Christ reveals hidden motives and deeds. |
| Rom 2:16 | "...on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus." | God judges hidden things through Christ. |
| John 3:20-21 | "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light... But whoever does what is true comes to the light..." | Distinction between light exposing darkness. |
| Isa 41:10 | "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God..." | General assurance against fear by God. |
| John 14:27 | "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." | Jesus' antidote to fear and anxiety. |
| Jer 16:17 | "For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes." | God's omniscience, nothing hidden from Him. |
| Prov 15:3 | "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." | God's all-seeing presence. |
| Heb 4:13 | "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." | All creation is open before God. |
| Dan 2:22 | "He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him." | God's unique power to reveal secrets. |
| Hab 2:14 | "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." | Prophecy of full divine revelation. |
| 2 Cor 4:2 | "We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God." | Transparency in ministry because all will be known. |
| Psa 44:21 | "Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart." | God's knowledge of the innermost thoughts. |
| Matt 12:36 | "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..." | Future accounting for every detail. |
| Jude 1:14-15 | "It was also about these that Enoch prophesied... 'Behold, the Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly..." | Future judgment and conviction. |
| Rev 20:12 | "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened... and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." | Judgment based on revealed deeds. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 26 Meaning
This verse assures Christ's disciples that any truth currently concealed, whether concerning the wickedness of their persecutors or the divine authenticity of their own mission and message, will inevitably be brought to light. It is an encouragement not to fear those who seek to harm or silence them, as ultimate justice and revelation belong to God, who sees and will expose all things. This certainty calls for fearless proclamation of the Gospel.
Matthew 10 26 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' "Missionary Discourse" or "Little Commission" in Matt 10, where He sends out the twelve disciples for the first time. Having empowered them with authority (Matt 10:1), Jesus then issues stern warnings about the persecution they will face (Matt 10:17-25). He describes being handed over, flogged, brought before governors, and even hated by all for His name's sake. It is within this grim outlook of suffering that Jesus offers several reassurances, and verse 26 is the first of these. He counters the natural fear stemming from such opposition by pointing to a divine principle of revelation. The historical and cultural context includes a society where power could be arbitrarily wielded by religious and political authorities, and where fear of public disgrace or physical harm was significant. Jesus here directly counters the anxiety induced by such threats, implying that such earthly power and schemes of concealment are ultimately futile before God's ultimate plan.
Matthew 10 26 Word analysis
- Do not fear (Μὴ φοβηθῆτε - mē phobēthēte): An emphatic negative command, using the aorist subjunctive after mē. It's not a suggestion but a prohibition against letting fear dominate their hearts, implying a state of fear. This command echoes frequently in Scripture when God reassures His people (e.g., Isa 41:10, Matt 1:20, Luke 1:30).
- them (αὐτούς - autous): Refers to the "men" or persecutors previously mentioned (Matt 10:17), those who deliver them up, scourge them, and accuse them. Jesus distinguishes between fearing these temporary human powers and God's ultimate authority (Matt 10:28).
- for nothing (οὐδὲν - ouden): A strong Greek double negative reinforcing the certainty that absolutely nothing will remain concealed.
- is covered (κεκαλυμμένον - kekalymmenon): A perfect passive participle. The perfect tense indicates an existing state—something has been covered and remains covered for now. The passive voice implies it was covered by someone or something, suggesting intentional concealment.
- that will not be revealed (ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται - ho ouk apokalyphthēsetai): Uses the future passive indicative of apokalyptō, meaning "to uncover" or "disclose." This word is the root for "apocalypse," signifying an ultimate, powerful uncovering. The phrase indicates a definite, future action; the concealment is temporary.
- and nothing hidden (καὶ κρυπτὸν - kai krypton): Reinforces the previous phrase using a synonym, kryptos, which refers to that which is secret or concealed. This parallelism strengthens the point of complete disclosure.
- that will not be known (ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται - ho ou gnōsthēsetai): Future passive indicative of ginōskō, "to know." This doesn't just mean "uncovered," but "understood" or "comprehended." Not only will things be brought to light, but their full truth and meaning will be grasped.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Do not fear them": This is a direct command rooted in divine authority. It anticipates the fear that naturally arises from the severe persecution Jesus just detailed. The solution to fear is not a lack of danger, but a greater truth—God's ultimate control.
- "for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, and nothing hidden that will not be known": This forms a powerful proverbial statement, characteristic of Jesus' teaching. The two parallel clauses, "covered... revealed" and "hidden... known," function as a hendiadys, emphasizing the complete and inevitable disclosure of all truth. It applies both to the wicked intentions and deeds of persecutors which will eventually be exposed, and conversely, to the truth of the Gospel and the disciples' mission, which may seem hidden or persecuted now but will ultimately triumph and be recognized globally. It underlines the sovereignty of God over human attempts to conceal or suppress truth.
Matthew 10 26 Bonus section
This verse contains a principle of divine reckoning that undergirds all Christian ministry. It implies that true Christian boldness isn't born of human courage alone but from an eschatological hope – the absolute certainty that the final judgment will expose all deception and confirm God's truth. This particular teaching of Jesus (also found in Mark 4:22 and Luke 8:17, 12:2-3) emphasizes that the Kingdom of God, while perhaps initially working in secret, will ultimately become fully manifest and understood by all. It provides the rationale for the command in the very next verse (Matt 10:27) to proclaim from the housetops what they heard in secret, because there's no reason to hide the truth God has given them; it's destined to be known.
Matthew 10 26 Commentary
Matthew 10:26 serves as a foundational encouragement to Christ's disciples when facing opposition and fear. Jesus explicitly contrasts the disciples' natural fear of earthly powers ("them") with the divine principle that no truth can remain hidden indefinitely. This teaching assures believers that all hidden motives, whether of good or evil, and every secret act will eventually be brought into God's light for public knowledge and judgment. This certainty empowers the disciples to speak boldly what they've learned in private (Matt 10:27) without yielding to the fear of man. It underscores divine vindication: while the Gospel or the suffering of believers might be suppressed or misrepresented now, their ultimate truth and righteousness will be fully revealed. The hidden sin and opposition of persecutors will likewise be exposed. The promise provides both comfort to the afflicted and warning to the wicked, confirming God's omnipresent knowledge and coming justice. It urges believers to live and proclaim the truth without compromise, trusting in the ultimate revelation and vindication by God.