This article is about the difficult-to-translate and difficult-to-accept wording of a single verse in the Bible. Let me cut to the chase and say that I don’t think the angels at Jesus’ birth declared peace to everyone on Earth, but only to the righteous. In this article, I’ll examine the text of Luke 2:14.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (ESV)
Wait! What? Is there no peace for those with whom God is not pleased?
Some will think that surely this is a bad translation. And they may immediately remember the King James Version, which seems more universally reassuring:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (KJV)
The English Standard Version makes it sound like peace was only to be given to those with whom God was pleased, and the King James Version makes it sound like not only peace, but also good will, was to be given to everybody. So which is it?
Well, this is a patient article. In the interests of due diligence, here are about 60 English translations, and I have highlighted in yellow those that seem to be singling out certain people from the blessings that were at hand. I’ll continue the discussion after these passages. If I’ve counted right, 48 out of the 60 make some manner of distinction over which humans this “peace” was to be granted.
And isn’t it interesting if a fact like this should be overlooked by many, and the assumption made that the birth of Jesus was supposed to be a blessing to everybody? Indeed, did he not say in one place, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”? Yet some have no room for a Jesus like that. They have room for a kind Jesus, but not a stern one.
Romans 11:22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
So as you read the following versions of Luke 2:14, consider whether this proclamation was about kindness only, or also about sternness. Was it an announcement of a blessing for every human, or was it only a blessing for those who were not to be “cut off”?
60 English Translations of Luke 2:14
(The ones in yellow have the peace on Earth only going to certain people.)
You can read these in context, and do further research yourself at BibleGateway here: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Luke%202:14
AKJV ― Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
AMP ― “Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”
AMPC ― Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor].
ASV ― Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.
BRG ― Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
CEB ― “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”
CEV ― “Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.”
CJB ― “In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of good will!”
CSB ― Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
DARBY ― Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men.
DLNT ― “Glory to God in the highest [heavens]. And peace on earth among people of [His] good-will”.
DRA ― Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.
EHV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.”
ERV ― “Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please him.”
ESV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
ESVUK ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
EXB ― “Give glory to God in ·heaven [the highest place/heaven], and on earth let there be peace among the people ·who please God [or he favors; L of his pleasure/approval].”
GNT ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
GNV ― Glory be to God in the high heavens, and peace in earth, and toward men good will.
GW ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
HCSB ― Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!
ICB ― “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please God.”
ISV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”
JUB ― Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will in man.
KJ21 ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
KJV ― Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
LEB ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
MEV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.”
MOUNCE ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth among those whom he has favored!”
MSG ― At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
NABRE ― “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
NASB ― “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”
NASB1995 ― “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
NCB ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to all those on whom his favor rests.”
NCV ― “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.”
NET ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
NIRV ― “May glory be given to God in the highest heaven! And may peace be given to those he is pleased with on earth!”
NIV ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
NIVUK ― ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’
NKJV ― “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
NLT ― “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
NLV ― “Greatness and honor to our God in the highest heaven and peace on earth among men who please Him.”
NMB ― Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, and to men rejoicing.
NOG ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
NRSVA ― ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’
NRSVACE ― ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’
NRSVCE ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
NRSVUE ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
NTE ― ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace upon earth among those in his favour.’
OJB ― Kavod to Hashem in the Highest; and on haaretz shalom among Bnei Adam kavvanah tovah (of good intention). [YESHAYAH 9:5-6; 52:7; 53:5; MICHOH 5:4-5]
PHILLIPS ― And in a flash there appeared with the angel a vast host of the armies of Heaven, praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest Heaven! Peace upon earth among men of goodwill!”
RGT ― “Glory to God in the High Heaven! And peace on Earth! And good will to all who please Him!”
RSV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
RSVCE ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
TLB ― “Glory to God in the highest heaven,” they sang, “and peace on earth for all those pleasing him.”
TLV ― “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth shalom to men of good will.”
VOICE ― Heavenly Choir: To the highest heights of the universe, glory to God! And on earth, peace among all people who bring pleasure to God!
WE ― They said, `Praise God in the highest heaven! Peace on earth and loving mercy towards all people!’
WEB ― “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
WYC ― Glory be in the highest things to God, and in earth peace be to men of good will. [Glory in the highest things to God, and in earth peace to men of good will.]
YLT ― `Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men — good will.’
Conclusion
I think that these 48 translations in yellow have better captured the idea of what the angels were saying. It’s a popular notion today that Jesus was coming to bring peace to everyone on Earth, but this idea simply doesn’t match up very well with the whole of the scriptures about Jesus. Indeed, almost every church that claims to be Christian believes in a judgment that does not leave every human in peace, but some in torment. Why, then, should the birth of Jesus be different?
Yes, those who turn their hearts to God can have peace, but not all will make peace with God. Sadly, I think that the “baby Jesus” image is so popular because it tends to isolate one part of the story from the hard-hitting whole of it, making Jesus a little easier to stomach for those who don’t like the whole of his message. And since the baby Jesus doesn’t say anything on the record, all they have to do is to twist what the angels said, and Voila!, they’ve got a one-size-fits-all message of peace for every human everywhere.
But we may ask ourselves: If that’s true, how come Herod was so tormented by the birth of Jesus? Why didn’t warm waves of peace wash over his soul? Why was he troubled? Why murder myriad babies in hopes of destroying the baby Jesus?
Indeed, why is it that even today, where so much peace-for-everybody is being preached in so many churches, not everyone who hears that message is at peace?
Is it not clear that no matter what Jesus does, the hearts of the individuals are different in how they can accept Jesus and respond to him? And I think it was this way from the beginning―and by design. Jesus was never meant to be good news for the wicked. No, he was only going to be good news for those of “good will toward God”― or for those with whom God was pleased. But even so, the idea of a Jesus who is not a blessing for everyone is anathema to the sensibilities of much of the modern religion.
If Jesus’ birth brought peace to the entire Earth, where is that peace? How long did it last?
And what happened to it? And why was Jesus murdered 30-something years later?
