What Does Luke 2:10 Mean?
And the messenger said to them, Do not be afraid, for look, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.THE KEY
The Greek word for bringing good news shares its message-bearing family with “messenger”: the announcement is the messenger’s work made audible.
THE MEANING
This announcement meets fear with good news: a great joy is here for all the people. Fear is present, but it does not tell the whole truth about what is happening.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Fear is the whole truth about this moment. The verse places great joy inside the very moment fear is spoken to.
THE ROOT
εὐαγγελίζομαι
euangelizomai
GROWS FROM
εὐαγγελ-
euangel-
To announce good news; the word combines εὖ (eu, good) with the messenger and message family.
English separates “angel” from “bring good tidings,” but ἄγγελος (angelos, messenger) and εὐαγγελίζομαι (euangelizomai, announce good news) share the ἀγγελ- message-bearing family. The messenger’s identity and the act he performs meet in the announcement itself.
ALSO GROWS
euangelion: Good news; a message of good tidings.
εὐαγγέλιον
This noun names the message carried by the messenger’s announcement.
angelos: Messenger.
ἄγγελος
The word for the messenger echoes inside the word family for announcing good news.
χαράν
charan
GROWS FROM
χαρ-
char-
Rejoicing, gladness; the word family is linked to χαίρω (chairō), to rejoice.
The Greek word family holds joy as both a state and an act of rejoicing. The announcement is more than information: its content is great joy, shared with the people.
ALSO GROWS
chairō: To rejoice, be glad.
χαίρω
The verb gives voice to the rejoicing contained in the noun “joy.”
chara: Joy, gladness.
χαρά
This is the same noun in its uninflected form; the verse names joy as the substance of the announcement.
THE PATTERN
News of deliverance becomes joy shared by a people.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news, who makes wholeness heard, who brings good news of good, who makes deliverance heard, who says to Zion, Your God governs.The LORD has grown great in doing with us, and we were glad.And there was great joy in that city.THE THREAD
O Zion, bearer of good news, climb onto the high mountain; O Jerusalem, bearer of good news, lift your voice with strength; lift it, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, Look, your God!The Septuagint uses the same Greek verb for “bringest good tidings” that appears in Luke. Isaiah also joins the announcement to “be not afraid” and “Behold,” so the good news meets fear by turning attention toward what is being revealed.
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