Mat 10:28 | NET2full | STEP | Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul . Instead , fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell .

‏ Matthew 10:28

28 Do ^{▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.} not be afraid of those who kill the body ^{▼▼sn A similar exhortation is found in 4 Macc 13:14-15, reflecting the view of Judaism in the intertestamental period. The statement here assumes there is more to a person than a body. As J. Nolland states, “Fear of God is to displace fear of death-dealing persecutors. The stakes are higher with God” (Matthew [NIGTC], 436).} but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ^{▼▼sn While destroy is sometimes taken to mean annihilation, it does not necessarily have to imply that here (“Of eternal death… Mt 10:28,” BDAG 116 s.v. ἀπόλλυμι 1.a.α). There are some Jewish intertestamental texts that appear to reflect a belief in everlasting punishment for the wicked (Jdt 16:17; 1QS 2:8) as well as Rev 14:11 in the NT. See also the note on the word hell in 5:22.}