Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Parallel translations
- WEB Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace.
- BSB And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.
- NKJV Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
- NASB Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace.
- NLT And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If unable to fight, the king sends to seek peace terms while the enemy is far off. Realism about one's resources leads to wise decision.
Overview
The weaker king sues for peace rather than face certain defeat. The point is the necessity of clear-eyed judgment before commitment. Jesus uses the picture to press hearers to recognize that following Him is an all-or-nothing decision requiring full surrender.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 12:20And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
- Jas 4:6–10But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- Job 40:9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
- 1 Kgs 20:31–34And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
- 2 Kgs 10:4–5But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
- Luke 12:58When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
- Matt 5:25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 14:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.