rambling about angels and language 

A pattern that repeats in the Bible and related(/derivative) texts is that when a messenger angel appears to a human, the first thing the angel says is "Μὴ φοβεῖσθε" (see Luke 2:10).

In more modern translations, this gets translated as "Fear not!", but I feel like that's so well-used in modern English as to be almost slangy. You can easily hear a hero or other valiant sort saying "fear not!".

I prefer the more stilted (and thus less-human) "Be not afraid!"

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rambling about angels and language 

@noelle I almost wonder if it's command, more than reassurance. "Did the giant burning wheel-within-wheel-of-many-eyes that appeared in the sky directly above have a message for you? "Several. First, it said 'CRAP THYSELF NOT IN TERROR!' Which, I admit, I *had* been considering."

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