Luke 14:32

Or else (ei de mhge). Same idiom in Luke 5:36 . Luke is fond of this formula. An ambassage (presbeian). Old and common word for the office of ambassador, composed of old men (presbei) like Japanese Elder Statesmen who are supposed to possess wisdom. In the N.T. only here and Luke 19:14 . Asketh conditions of peace (erwtai pro eirhnhn). The use of erwtaw in this sense of beg or petition is common in the papyri and Koin generally. The original use of asking a question survives also. The text is uncertain concerning pro eirhnhn which means with erwtaw, to ask negotiations for peace. In B we have ei instead of pro like verse Luke 28 . Most MSS. have ta before pro or ei, but not in Aleph and B. It is possible that the ta was omitted because of preceding tai (omoeoteleuton), but the sense is the same. See Romans 14:19 ta th eirhnh, the things of peace, which concern or look towards peace, the preliminaries of peace.