Luke 12 51

Luke 12:51 kjv

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Luke 12:51 nkjv

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

Luke 12:51 niv

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.

Luke 12:51 esv

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

Luke 12:51 nlt

Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!

Luke 12 verses

Luke 12 51 Meaning

Jesus asks His disciples if they mistakenly believe His mission is to bring immediate, universal social or political harmony on earth. He emphatically clarifies that His arrival will, instead, inevitably cause division and conflict among people, even within families, as individuals are forced to choose allegiance concerning Him. This division is not His ultimate desire for humanity, but an unavoidable consequence of His truth confronting the world.

Luke 12 51 Context

Luke 12:51 is part of a larger discourse by Jesus warning His disciples about the nature of His mission and the impending judgment. The preceding verses (Luke 12:49-50) speak of casting "fire upon the earth" and the "baptism" He must undergo, hinting at a transformative, perhaps refining and even divisive, process that will unfold. The fire signifies intense judgment and purification. The baptism refers to His suffering and death. Following this, Jesus challenges His listeners to interpret the "signs of the times" (Luke 12:54-56) and reconcile with adversaries (Luke 12:58). The verse directly counters any popular expectation that the Messiah's coming would immediately usher in an era of universal, harmonious, political, or social peace, like the Messianic "shalom" often envisioned in an earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus declares that His arrival introduces a crucial test, forcing allegiance that inevitably cleaves society.

Luke 12 51 Word analysis

• Do you suppose (νοmίζετε, nomizete): A verb meaning "to think," "to imagine," "to believe," or "to commonly suppose." Here, it points to a prevalent, incorrect assumption held by His listeners regarding His mission. It directly addresses and challenges a false expectation.
• that I came (ἦλθον, ēlthen): A straightforward declaration of purpose. Jesus refers to His incarnation and earthly ministry. It underscores His divine initiative and intentional arrival for a specific mission.
• to grant (δοῦναι, dounai): The infinitive "to give" or "to grant." It implies the bestowal of something as a gift or a benefit.
• peace (εἰρήνην, eirēnēn): Greek for "peace," often translating the Hebrew shalom. While shalom encompasses holistic well-being, wholeness, prosperity, and right relationship with God and others, in this immediate context, Jesus is refuting a perceived societal or political peace that would eliminate all conflict and opposition upon His arrival. He does bring peace with God (Rom 5:1), but not peace from the world.
• on earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, epi tēs gēs): Refers to human society and the world as it exists, emphasizing the scope of this expected "peace" as societal harmony among people.
• No, I tell you (Οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, Ouchi, legō hymin): Ouchi is an emphatic negative, powerfully refuting the previous statement. "I tell you" is a declaration of authoritative truth from Jesus Himself, used frequently in the Gospels to introduce weighty statements. It highlights the seriousness of His correction.
• but rather (ἀλλ᾿, all'): A strong adversative conjunction, signifying a direct and powerful contrast to what was just stated. It means "but on the contrary" or "rather."
• division (διαμερισμόν, diamerismon): Meaning "a splitting apart," "dissension," "discord," or "partition." It implies a severing of what was once whole, often used to describe social or familial schisms. This is the direct and unavoidable consequence of the world's response to the radical truth of Jesus and His Kingdom.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth?": This opening question directly addresses a pervasive misunderstanding among the disciples and the general population about the Messiah's immediate mission. The prevailing view often anticipated the Messiah to establish an earthly kingdom characterized by widespread peace and unity, freeing Israel from Roman oppression and ushering in an age of prosperity for all. Jesus immediately corrects this temporal and limited view of peace.
• "No, I tell you, but rather division.": This concise and potent declaration overturns the misconception. Jesus explicitly states His coming brings about an essential and unavoidable spiritual and social cleavage. This division is the inevitable outcome of people choosing for or against the Kingdom of God embodied in Jesus, forcing a separation between those who accept His radical call and those who reject it or cling to worldly loyalties. It underscores the profound and disruptive nature of God's truth entering the world.

Luke 12 51 Bonus section

The concept of "fire" and "baptism" mentioned in Luke 12:49-50 immediately preceding this verse is crucial. The "fire" Jesus desires to cast on the earth can be interpreted as the refining judgment and consuming zeal of God's presence, which purifies some and condemns others. His "baptism" refers to His impending suffering and death, which is the necessary means for the Gospel's power to be released. Therefore, the "division" in verse 51 is presented not in isolation but as a direct consequence of this fiery, transformative, and redemptive work inaugurated by Jesus' suffering. The contrast also serves as a polemic against superficial understandings of Messiahship. Unlike earthly kings who secure peace through conquest, Jesus secures spiritual peace for individuals but causes relational upheaval in a world unwilling to bow to His truth, reflecting the ongoing spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.

Luke 12 51 Commentary

Luke 12:51 is a powerful corrective to a widespread human tendency to assume God's immediate action always conforms to our desires for comfortable harmony. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, here clarifies that His first advent was not to impose a superficial earthly peace or societal tranquility upon an unwilling world, but to bring ultimate spiritual reconciliation with God, which inevitably exposes and separates. His presence forces a radical choice; His truth is like a surgeon's scalpel, dividing bone from marrow (Heb 4:12), not to destroy, but to heal, though the initial cut is painful. This division occurs because the light of Christ inherently exposes the darkness of sin, demanding allegiance that often conflicts with pre-existing familial, social, and cultural loyalties (Matt 10:34-37). It reveals that following Jesus means prioritizing Him above all else, which for some will lead to estrangement, conflict, and opposition, even from those closest to them. The "division" is not His desired end, but the necessary and unavoidable means through which His Kingdom advances, purifying and gathering those who genuinely belong to Him.