Luke 2:14 kjv
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14 nkjv
"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Luke 2:14 niv
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
Luke 2:14 esv
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
Luke 2:14 nlt
"Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
Luke 2 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Glory to God | ||
| Psa 29:2 | Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. | Worship God for His inherent glory. |
| Isa 6:3 | And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" | God's glory fills creation. |
| Rom 11:36 | For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. | All creation exists for God's glory. |
| Rev 4:11 | "Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power..." | God as creator deserves all glory. |
| Peace on Earth | ||
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... And His name will be called... Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end. | Messiah brings everlasting peace. |
| Zec 9:10 | ...He will speak peace to the nations... | Universal scope of Messiah's peace. |
| Rom 5:1 | Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | Reconciliation and peace through faith. |
| Eph 2:14 | For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility. | Christ embodies and creates peace. |
| Col 1:20 | ...and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. | Peace established through Christ's sacrifice. |
| Among those with whom He is pleased / God's Favor | ||
| Deut 7:7 | "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love on you and chose you..." | God's choice is based on His favor, not merit. |
| Psa 149:4 | For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation. | God's delight in His people. |
| Isa 42:1 | "Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen, in whom My soul delights..." | God's delight in the Messiah. |
| Matt 3:17 | And a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." | God's affirmation of Jesus, source of favor. |
| Luke 4:18-19 | "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." | Jesus inaugurates the era of God's favor. |
| Eph 1:5 | He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will. | Salvation by God's gracious purpose. |
| Eph 1:9 | ...the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ. | God's will reveals His pleasure in Christ. |
| Eph 1:11 | ...predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. | God's sovereign plan of salvation. |
| Phil 2:13 | ...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. | God's work in believers stems from His favor. |
| 2 Thes 1:11 | ...so that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power. | God's power accomplishes His good pleasure. |
| Angelic Proclamation / Heavenly Rejoicing | ||
| Job 38:7 | When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? | Angels celebrate creation. |
| Rev 5:11-12 | Then I saw and heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain..." | Countless angels worship the Lamb. |
Luke 2 verses
Luke 2 14 Meaning
The declaration by the heavenly host announces the dual purpose and effect of Christ's birth: supreme glory rendered to God in the heavenly realms, and a specific kind of peace brought to the earth, specifically among those people upon whom God's divine favor or good pleasure rests. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a holistic well-being, reconciliation, and harmony, originating from God's gracious will.
Luke 2 14 Context
Luke chapter 2 begins with the decree of Caesar Augustus for a census, leading Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David, where Jesus is born. After Jesus' birth and lying in a manger, shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem receive an angelic announcement of His birth. The single angel, proclaiming "good news of great joy," is then joined by a multitude of the heavenly host who utter this profound statement in Luke 2:14. This verse thus stands as the angelic summation of the significance of the Incarnation, connecting the cosmic and the earthly impact of Christ's advent immediately following the miraculous announcement. Historically, it contrasts with the 'Pax Romana' promoted by the Roman Empire, asserting a divinely initiated and specific peace, rather than humanly enforced quietude.
Luke 2 14 Word analysis
- Glory: Greek Doxa (δόξα). Denotes magnificent honor, praise, majesty, and brilliance. It is the inherent nature and manifest presence of God. Here, it is an acclamation of the highest praise for God.
- to God: Greek Theō (Θεῷ). The divine recipient of all worship and ultimate adoration. The ultimate purpose of creation and redemption is God's glory.
- in the highest: Greek en hypsistois (ἐν ὑψίστοις). Literally "in the highest places" or "in the highest heavens." This implies that the praise ascends directly to God in the heavenly courts and that the cosmic order acknowledges the profound significance of this event. It establishes the celestial origin and divine approval of the message.
- and: Greek kai (καί). Connects the two grand proclamations: glory to God and peace on earth, indicating they are not separate but interconnected outcomes of the Incarnation.
- on earth: Greek epi gēs (ἐπὶ γῆς). Refers to the physical world and humanity dwelling on it, signifying the tangible, immediate impact of Christ's birth in the human realm, contrasting with "in the highest."
- peace: Greek eirēnē (εἰρήνη). Far more than the absence of conflict. In Hebrew thought (Shalom), it encompasses holistic well-being, wholeness, prosperity, reconciliation, health, security, and harmony in relationship with God, oneself, and others. It is the result of divine action, not human effort.
- among those: Greek en anthrōpois (ἐν ἀνθρώποις). "Among men/people." The target recipient of this peace. This crucial phrase sets the boundary for who experiences this specific peace.
- with whom he is pleased!: Greek eudokias (εὐδοκίας). This is the key interpretative phrase, modifying "people" (anthrōpois) in the genitive case, meaning "people of good pleasure/favor." This points to God's elective grace and sovereign choice. It signifies that the peace announced is not universal to all humanity regardless of response, but is specifically for those upon whom God’s unmerited favor rests, those who receive Him and His Son. This differentiates it from the KJV reading "good will toward men," which could imply a universal peace for all without condition. The accurate reading emphasizes divine initiative and gracious selection.
Words-group analysis
- "Glory to God in the highest": This phrase establishes the primary purpose of Christ's advent: the glorification of God. It affirms God's preeminence and supreme majesty as the source and recipient of all praise, acknowledged even in the highest heavens.
- "and on earth peace": This immediately links divine glory with a transformative impact on the human realm. The "peace" offered through Christ reverses the cosmic disruption caused by sin, restoring harmonious relationships—first with God, then with others and the self. This peace counters the world's inherent brokenness and the futility of human efforts to achieve lasting tranquility without divine intervention.
- "among those with whom he is pleased!": This clarifies the scope and nature of this peace. It is not an automatically applied, universal peace for all mankind, but a conditional peace that depends on God's favor. This peace is manifested and experienced by those who are recipients of divine grace, chosen and accepted by God. It refers to a restored relationship where humanity is aligned with God's will and enjoys His approval, leading to profound internal and relational tranquility.
Luke 2 14 Bonus section
The term eudokia (good pleasure/favor) found in Luke 2:14 is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe God's sovereign will and purpose in salvation (Eph 1:5, 9, 11; Phil 2:13), connecting the angelic proclamation directly to the divine plan for humanity's redemption. This verse's focus on "peace" in contrast to "Glory" highlights the theological connection between the vertical (man's relationship with God) and horizontal (man's relationship with man and the world) dimensions of redemption. Without glory to God, there cannot be true peace on earth. The "peace" Christ brings is primarily a pax Dei (peace from God) leading to pax cordis (peace in the heart) and then impacting social relations. This challenges humanistic views of achieving peace solely through political or social means.
Luke 2 14 Commentary
Luke 2:14 is the crescendo of the angelic announcement regarding Jesus' birth. It presents a divinely revealed twofold purpose: the supreme glorification of God and the establishment of true peace on earth. The declaration connects heaven and earth, indicating that the Incarnation serves to exalt God in the highest heavens while simultaneously initiating a radical transformation on the earthly plane. The peace described is the holistic Hebrew concept of shalom, encompassing well-being, reconciliation, and harmony, rather than simply the absence of conflict. Critically, this peace is extended "among those with whom He is pleased," which refers to humanity chosen by God's gracious eudokia or good pleasure, those who are recipients of His favor and willing to accept His saving work. This is a peace granted through reconciliation with God through Christ, establishing a new relationship of favor that the world cannot give, and signifying salvation is initiated by divine will, not human merit. This declaration sets the stage for Jesus' ministry, which embodies and ultimately achieves this peace through His redemptive work on the cross.