Lukas 2:13-14

2:13 Suddenly ¹  a vast, heavenly army ²  appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

2:14 “Glory ³  to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among people ⁴  with whom he is pleased!” ⁵ 

Lukas 15:10

15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ⁶  over one sinner who repents.”

[2:13]  ¹ tn Grk “And suddenly.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:13]  ² tn Grk “a multitude of the armies of heaven.”

[2:14]  ³ sn Glory here refers to giving honor to God.

[2:14]  ⁴ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") referring to both males and females.

[2:14]  ⁵ tc Most witnesses (א² B² L Θ Ξ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï sy bo) have ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία (en anqrwpoi" eudokia, “good will among people”) instead of ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας (en anqrwpoi" eudokia", “among people with whom he is pleased”), a reading attested by א* A B* D W pc (sa). Most of the Itala witnesses and some other versional witnesses reflect a Greek text which has the genitive εὐδοκίας but drops the preposition ἐν. Not only is the genitive reading better attested, but it is more difficult than the nominative. “The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Saviour God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” (TCGNT 111).

[15:10]  ⁶ sn The whole of heaven is said to rejoice. Joy in the presence of God’s angels is a way of referring to God’s joy as well without having to name him explicitly. Contemporary Judaism tended to refer to God indirectly where possible out of reverence or respect for the divine name.