Nothing caught the insane reality of WW1 more than the movie “Paths of Glory”.
Posted on 12/17/2025 9:47:01 AM PST by Heartlander
The fighting in Europe had been growing for almost five months when Pope Benedict tried to arrange a truce between nations in early December 1914 for Christmas. But his efforts failed when Russia declined the truce. The notorious trenches of World War I were filled with weary, cold soldiers. But along the British and German lines, a sudden rise of the Christmas Spirit among the soldiers created a phenomenon that wasn’t seen for the rest of the war—the soldiers decided not to fight on Christmas. Stories of this unofficial Christmas Truce were published in newspapers around the world.*
The Chicago Herald printed part of a letter from a British soldier describing what took place. “On Christmas eve we were shouting across ‘Merry Christmas!’ The Germans shouted, ‘Don’t shoot till New Year’s day!’ Christmas morning the weather was foggy and there was no firing. We started wandering over toward the German lines. When the mist cleared we saw the Germans doing the same thing.”
Climbing from their trenches onto the battle-scarred “no man’s land,” British and German soldiers shook hands, swapped cigarettes and jokes, and even played football. “We all have wives and children…we’re just the same kind of men as you are,” one German said.
Gifts were exchanged between soldiers: pies, wine, cigars and cigarettes, chocolates, pictures, newspapers. Whatever they had with them in the trenches. Some even exchanged names and addresses to reconnect after the war! “We exchanged souvenirs; I got a German ribbon and photo of the Crown Prince of Bavaria. The Germans opposite us were awfully decent fellows—Saxons, intelligent, respectable-looking men. I had quite a decent talk with three or four and have two names and addresses in my notebook.” (New York Times, December 31, 1914, World War History: Newspaper Clippings 1914 to 1926.)
The day would be remembered and memorialized as a moment of peace during the long First World War. A day when soldiers put aside their orders and listened instead to their common decency and humanity. As one German soldier noted, “you are the same religion as we, and today is the day of peace.”
The backstory is after this occurred, the establishment implemented policies to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Even then, they loved war.
Branagh’s adaption of The Magic Flute has a charming scene which is an homage to this event.
No more brother wars.
Nothing caught the insane reality of WW1 more than the movie “Paths of Glory”.
Let us see the various ways “men” have written, and rewritten, this phrase first put down by Luke:
New International Version
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
New Living Translation
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
English Standard Version
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Berean Standard Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
Berean Literal Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!”
King James Bible
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
New King James Version
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
New American Standard Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”
NASB 1995
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
NASB 1977
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Legacy Standard Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Amplified Bible
“Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”
Christian Standard Bible
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!
American Standard Version
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.
Contemporary English Version
“Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.”
English Revised Version
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.
GOD’S WORD® Translation
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
Good News Translation
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
International Standard Version
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”
NET Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
New Heart English Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward humankind.”
Webster’s Bible Translation
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.
Weymouth New Testament
“Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!”
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
World English Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace, among men—good will!”
Berean Literal Bible
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!”
Young’s Literal Translation
‘Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men — good will.’
Smith’s Literal Translation
Glory to God in the highest ones, and upon earth peace, benevolence in men.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.
Catholic Public Domain Version
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.”
New American Bible
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
New Revised Standard Version
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good hope for men.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Glory to God in Heaven, and upon earth peace, Good News to the children of men.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men.
Godbey New Testament
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth; good will among men.
Haweis New Testament
Glory in the highest heavens to God! and upon earth, peace! towards men complacence.
Mace New Testament
“glory to God in the heavens, and to men on earth felicity in the divine favour.”
Weymouth New Testament
“Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!”
Worrell New Testament
“Glory to God in the highest; and, on earth, peace among men of good will!”
Worsley New Testament
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men.
"Glory to God in high heaven, and peace on earth to men that are God’s friends."
Translation by Msgr. Ronald Knox (who wrote detective stories in his spare time), and was fluent in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. If there was any dispute on a passage, he dropped a footnote. He also wrote a charming little pamphlet, "On Englishing the Bible," explaining his methods.
Here's a link to the Vulgate, Douay-Rheims, and Knox versions: Vulgate, Douay, and Knox side-by-side
The rest of the Christmas Truce keyword, sorted:
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