John 14:27 · Bible study
John 14:27 Commentary: Christ's Legacy of Peace That Overcomes Fear
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore John 14:27: Christ's peace as a legacy and present gift, distinct from the world's peace, overcoming fear. Scholarly analysis and pastoral application.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Christ’s peace is a real, present gift that overcomes fear, distinct from worldly peace.
- Key words: Eirēnēn (peace), didōmi (I give), deiliaō (be fearful), tarassesthō (be troubled).
- Main debate: Whether the peace is primarily objective reconciliation with God or subjective inner calm; most affirm both.
- Theological theme: The sufficiency of Christ’s presence through the Spirit, even in absence and crisis.
- Best use: A bedrock verse for pastoral care, funeral messages, and personal assurance in anxiety.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
KJV King James Version 1769
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Peace I leave to you; my peace I give to you, not according as the world doth give do I give to you; let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
I leave peace with you; I give my peace to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it fear.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled: nor let it be afraid.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy: no como el mundo la da, yo os la doy. No se turbe vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo.
A paz vos deixo, minha paz vos dou; vou dá- la a vós, não como o mundo a dá. Não se perturbe vosso coração, nem se atemorize.
Je vous laisse la paix, je vous donne ma paix. Je ne vous donne pas comme le monde donne. Que votre cœur ne se trouble point, et ne s’ alarme point.
Den Frieden lasse ich euch, meinen Frieden gebe ich euch. Nicht gebe ich euch, wie die Welt gibt. Euer Herz erschrecke nicht und fürchte sich nicht.
Vrede laat Ik u, Mijn vrede geef Ik u; niet gelijkerwijs de wereld hem geeft, geef Ik hem u. Uw hart worde niet ontroerd en zij niet versaagd.
Io vi lascio pace; vi do la mia pace. Io non vi do come il mondo dà. Il vostro cuore non sia turbato e non si sgomenti.
Pokój zostawuję wam, pokój on mój daję wam; nie jako daje świat, ja wam daję; niechże się nie trwoży serce wasze, ani się lęka.
Мир оставляю вам, мир Мой даю вам; не так, как мир дает, Я даю вам. Да не смущается сердце ваше и да не устрашается.
我留下 平安 給你們；我將我 的平安 賜給 你們。我 所賜的，不 像 世 人所賜的。你們 心 裡不 要憂愁，也不 要膽怯。
May peace be with you; my peace I give to you: I give it not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled; let it be without fear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 14:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse presents Christ's peace as both a final bequest and a present reality. The verbs aphiēmi (“I leave”) and didōmi (“I give”) are in the present active indicative, not a simple future, but an action unfolding in the moment. Jesus is making his last will, as Gill and Clarke both note, yet he is also executing it immediately. The phrase “my peace” (τὴν ἐμὴν εἰρήνην) uses the article with the possessive pronoun, drawing attention to the peace that belongs to Christ himself, the peace he personally enjoys and now imparts. This is not a mere wish or formal blessing; Calvin insists it “does not consist in an empty and unavailing wish, but is accompanied by the effect.” The contrast with the world’s giving is sharp: the world offers empty ceremony, self-interested gifts, or false reassurance. Jesus gives what costs him everything and what meets the deepest need. Barnes and Wesley concur that this peace reconciles the soul to God, silences conscience, and remains steady through all earthly changes. The closing command, “Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful”, uses the present imperative with mē, a prohibition against continuing in an already-existing state of agitation. The verb deiliaō (only here in the New Testament) means cowardly shrinking back. Vincent notes it is “properly signifies cowardly fear,” which the peace of Christ directly counters. The consensus: Christ’s peace is real, personally given, and sufficient to overcome every fear.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Christ gives a peace that is uniquely his, distinct from anything the world offers, and it is sufficient to overcome fear in the hearts of his followers.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the peace given | Christ gives a peace that is real, effective, and based on his work. | Catholics often see this peace as including sacramental grace in the Eucharist; Protestants emphasize peace with God through justification; both affirm it is more than emotional calm. |
| Meaning of 'my peace' | The peace belongs to Christ and comes from him. | Some (like Calvin) stress the peace Christ enjoyed in his own soul; others (like Gill) focus on the peace Christ made through his blood; both are complementary. |
| The command 'let not your heart be troubled' | It is a charge to stop giving in to fear, based on the gift of peace. | Some traditions see this as a conditional command requiring our active faith; others emphasize it as a consequence of the Spirit’s work, peace is given, so trouble has no foothold. |
| Relation to the Holy Spirit | The peace is connected to the coming Spirit (v.26). | Whether the Spirit is the peace himself or the one who applies it is not sharply defined; interpreters agree that peace is experienced through the Spirit. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus speaks these words in the Upper Room on the night before his crucifixion. The disciples are reeling from the announcement that one of them will betray him, that Peter will deny him, and that Jesus himself is leaving. The air is thick with confusion and dread. Into this turmoil Jesus speaks a standard Jewish farewell: “Peace I leave with you.” The Hebrew word shalom carried rich meaning, not just absence of conflict, but wholeness, health, prosperity, and right relationship with God. It was used both as greeting and as parting blessing (see Judges 6:23; 1 Samuel 25:6). But Jesus transforms the familiar phrase into something unprecedented.
Unlike ordinary best wishes, this peace is substantive. Jesus calls it “my peace,” linking it to his own person and work. The disciples would have recalled promises like Yahweh giving peace (Numbers 6:26; Psalm 29:11). Now Jesus claims that same divine authority. His departure (v.28) is not abandonment; he leaves them a peace that comes through his impending death and resurrection. The surrounding context reinforces this: he has just promised the Holy Spirit (v.26), who will teach and remind. The peace is not merely emotional calm; it is the settled confidence that comes from union with Christ, even when the world, and the “prince of the world” (v.30), presses in.
The command “Let not your heart be troubled” echoes Jesus’ words at the start of the chapter (John 14:1). The Greek verb tarassō means to agitate, stir up, disturb one’s composure. It is the same word used when the disciples saw Jesus walking on water (John 6:19) and when Mary was troubled at the angel’s appearance (Luke 1:29). The present imperative with the negative carries the sense: stop letting your heart be in a state of turmoil. This peace is a gift to be received, not a feeling to be manufactured. It stands as a reliable anchor in the storm of events about to unfold.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for John 14:27. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts. The only minor variation is in word order (some manuscripts place egō before didōmi in the final clause, which does not change sense, both emphasize the “I myself” giving).
Reception History
John 14:27 has been a foundational comfort text throughout church history. Early church fathers such as Augustine and Chrysostom drew on it to encourage believers facing persecution. In the medieval period, it was used in the liturgy for peace before Communion. The verse has been set to music in numerous hymns, including “Peace I Leave with You” in various hymnals. During the Reformation, both Protestant and Catholic commentators (Calvin, the Council of Trent’s catechism) highlighted the distinction between worldly and divine peace. In modern times, it remains a staple in funeral services, hospital visits, and personal devotional consolation. Its promise is invoked in nearly every Christian tradition to assure the distressed that Christ’s peace persists beyond all outer chaos.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Legacy Jesus Leaves: Peace as a final bequest, secured through his death and resurrection. This is not a casual goodbye but a testamentary gift. The present tense “I leave” and “I give” show it is both promised and delivered.
- The Contrast with the World’s Peace: The world gives peace in empty words, for selfish reasons, or as a temporary truce. Jesus gives peace that is sincere, cost-heavy, and eternal. His giving is part of who he is, the Prince of Peace.
- The Command to Stop Being Afraid: The command is present imperative with mē, stop this pattern of troubled hearts and cowardly fear. Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ in the trouble.
Five-point outline
- A Saying with Ancient Roots: “Peace” as a Jewish greeting and farewell is elevated into a divine promise. Jesus takes the familiar and fills it with new power.
- A Possession That Becomes a Gift: “My peace”, not a generic blessing but the very peace that sustained Jesus through his own trial. He gives what he has.
- A Giving That Is Different: Not “as the world gives.” The world’s peace depends on circumstances, is often insincere, and cannot calm the conscience. Christ’s peace is independent of events.
- A Heart That Is No Longer Troubled: The command to stop being troubled builds on the gift. Peace is given, but we are also called to receive it actively, to stop rehearsing fears.
- A Fear That Is Replaced by Trust: Deiliaō, cowardly fear, the kind that makes us shrink back. Christ’s peace drives out that fear, not by ignoring danger but by anchoring us in him.
Illustration hooks
- The executor of a will: A person writes a will leaving a precious heirloom, but the will is useless unless the executor delivers it. Jesus is both testator and executor, he leaves peace and personally gives it.
- The friend who really means it: Most “how are you?” questions are polite rituals. But a true friend says “I want your good,” and then acts to secure it. Jesus’ peace is not a social grace but a committed action.
- Peace in a noisy room: A person can be in a chaotic room and still have inner calm because they know the situation is under control. Christ’s peace is that settled heart even when the room (the world) is falling apart.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I have peace when my circumstances are out of control?
- What is the difference between peace I feel and peace I possess by faith?
- Why does Jesus command me not to be troubled when trouble is real?
Leading a Discussion
This study digs into one of the most comforting verses in Scripture. Jesus speaks to disciples who are afraid of losing him, and he gives them something that cannot be lost: his own peace. The group’s goal is to understand both the promise and the command, and to help each other receive what Christ gives.
Discussion questions
- Read John 14:27 silently. What words or phrases stand out to you most? Why?
- The word “peace” appears five times in this short verse. Why do you think Jesus repeats it so much?
- Jesus says “my peace.” What do you think is the difference between ordinary peace and peace that belongs to Christ?
- How does the world typically give peace? Think of examples from media, culture, or relationships. What is the world’s peace missing?
- The commands “let not your heart be troubled” and “let it not be fearful” are in the present tense, literally “stop being troubled.” Why might Jesus need to tell his followers this?
- Look at the word deiliaō (be afraid). Thayer defines it as being timid, cowardly. How does Christ’s peace specifically target the kind of fear that makes us shrink back?
- How can this verse help someone who is anxious or grieving today? What would it look like to “receive” the peace Jesus gives?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 6:26 | Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’ |
| Job 34:29 | When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike, |
| Psalms 11:1 | For the Chief Musician. By David. In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? |
| Psalms 27:1 | By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? |
| Psalms 28:3 | Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. |
| Psalms 29:11 | Yahweh will give strength to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace. |
| Psalms 56:3 | When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. |
| Psalms 56:11 | I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke distinguishes Christ's peace from common polite well-wishes; it is a true legacy, his dying gift of soul-tranquillity and divine friendship. He also reads the command not to be afraid as a call to stand firm when assaulted, since the coming evil will fall on Jesus alone and bring salvation.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that Jesus' declaration of peace was no empty Jewish greeting but a genuine gift from the One able to grant it. He distinguishes Christ's peace sharply from what the world offers—fleeting pleasures, empty flattery, or false philosophies—and presents it as a deep, lasting calm that reconciles the soul to God, silences conscience, and remains steady through every trial, including death.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that Christ's farewell word "peace" draws on the Hebrew custom of wishing prosperity, but Christ's peace is no empty ceremony. It actually bestows lasting happiness through his blessing, even though he departs bodily. The disciples need not fear, for they will enjoy his real presence through the Spirit.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that Jesus' "peace" is not a conventional farewell wish but His own personal peace. Unlike the world's giving, which is selfish, conditional, and empty, Christ gives genuinely, sacrificially, and freely to friend and foe alike, leaving no room for troubled hearts.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Peace I leaue with you: my peace I giue vnto you: not as the worlde giueth, giue I vnto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor feare.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill treats Christ's peace as a last will and testament, a legacy left to His disciples before His death. He contrasts this genuine, internal peace with the Jewish custom of offering "peace" as a greeting and with the world's hollow, fleeting peace. Christ's peace alone is true, lasting, and given freely from the heart.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that Christ's parting peace is profoundly different from ordinary farewells. As the Prince of Peace, He personally brought, died to secure, and now gives His peace to believers. Christ is the executor of His own testament, ensuring that the peace He leaves is genuinely given, unlike the world's empty gifts.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Christ comforts his disciples by assuring them his earlier teachings are not retracted but ratified, and that he fully used his bodily presence to teach them. The promise of the Spirit serves as the continuation of that instruction, bringing Christ's words back to mind and providing ongoing guidance after his departure.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights that the greeting "peace" was the ordinary Oriental farewell, but Jesus gives "my peace"—His own personal gift. He also notes that the Greek word for "be afraid" specifically means cowardly fear and appears only in this verse, linking it to similar uses in Matthew, Revelation, and 2 Timothy.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp distinction between general peace and the specific peace Christ gives: His own personal peace, the very peace He Himself enjoyed. Unlike the world's unsettled, fleeting peace, this gift fills the soul with constant tranquillity that remains steady even through life's most turbulent scenes.