King James Bible
"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do."
Jesus addresses his disciples with the intimate term 'friends,' emphasizing personal relationship rather than mere teacher-student hierarchy. This direct address introduces solemn teaching about persecution, preparing them for the hostility they will face for following him. Jesus commands his followers to resist fear of physical death at the hands of persecutors. In the context of growing opposition from religious authorities, this acknowledges the real threat of martyrdom while subordinating bodily death to higher spiritual realities. Human power reaches its absolute limit at physical death—persecutors cannot touch the soul or determine eternal destiny. This phrase reveals the temporary, limited nature of earthly threats, implicitly contrasting human authority with God's ultimate power over both body and soul.