Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks 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.
- KJV Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth 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.
- 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 12:20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.
- Jas 4:6–10But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Job 40:9Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
- 1 Kgs 20:31–34His servants said to him, “See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life.”
- 2 Kgs 10:4–5But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”
- Luke 12:58For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
- Matt 5:25Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.