What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you’ (John 14:27)?

TL;DR:

When Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (John 14:27), He was promising His disciples a deep, unshakable peace that would remain even in the face of suffering and His physical departure. This peace comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit and the certainty of Christ’s return, not from favorable circumstances.

what does the bible say?

In John 14:27, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent death. While He would resurrect just three days later, Jesus’ death would mark the beginning of the end for His time on earth. He knew that He was about to leave the disciples alone in a world that hated them, and He understood the distress that would cause them. After assuring them He was coming back and would be sending them the Holy Spirit so they would not be alone, He encouraged them that He was also giving them His peace. It was not a worldly peace contingent on circumstances. Instead, it was a peace that would carry them through the suffering, tribulation, and deaths which He knew was in store for them in the coming days, weeks, and years. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27) is a promise that extends to us. As we await His return and face life’s difficulties, His peace that “surpasses all understanding” is available to guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).

from the old testament

Though the statement from Jesus, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” is only in the New Testament, there are similar statements in the Old Testament. Psalm 29:11 says, “The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.” The Psalm relates the power of God who can do whatever He wants, including bringing peace to His people in the midst of any circumstance.
Isaiah 57 speaks about a future time when either God will declare peace to His people or will give His message of peace to them (depending on the interpretation):
“I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to himAnd to his mourners ‘I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,’ Says the Lord, ‘And I will heal him’”“ (Isaiah 57:18-19). That peace is for the righteous, only, because “‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’” (Isaiah 57:21). From this we see that God gives a type of peace that is specific to those He considers His people.

from the new testament

John 14:27 is in the middle of the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17). In that section, Jesus is encouraging the disciples by preparing them for coming hardships. He was doing that so that their hearts wouldn’t be troubled by the coming difficulty (John 14:1).
He also explains that He will provide for them until He returns, that He is giving them incredible access to the Father such that they would be able to ask Him anything in His name, and He would do it for them (John 14:12-13). He would empower them for great things, and, as He later explains, they would be His witnesses all over the world (see Acts 1:8). And, while it might feel like they were alone, He was not leaving them as orphans to fend for themselves (John 14:18).
This peace did not mean that life would be tranquil. That kind of false peace was what “the world gives” (John 14:27). In contrast, He already told them that they would be hated (John 15:18) and suffer (2 Timothy 3:12) and even die (Matthew 10:21-22) for His name. Instead, it was a comforting peace in the midst of promised tribulation (John 16:33).
This peace would come through His Spirit, whom He was about to send “that He may be with you forever” (John 14:16, 26). Therefore, while they would physically be separated, Jesus would continue to be with them through His Spirit.

implications for today

Jesus, unlike the world, provides His disciples with certain and trustworthy peace. It is not grounded in circumstances—what the world calls “peace”—but in the knowledge that Jesus was returning and has left us His Spirit to guide us and protect us until He comes back. Just like Jesus wouldn’t forsake His disciples then, He won’t forsake us now (Hebrews 13:5-6). We know that because He has given us peace as well. When we believe in Jesus, not only are we given eternal life (John 6:47), but the Holy Spirit is our guarantee of that new life (Ephesians 1:13-14), and He comes to live inside of us (see Romans 8:9 and 1 Corinthians 6:19). In addition, we have the completed Bible; we can read Jesus’s comforting words for ourselves.

Jesus taught the disciples that peace doesn’t come from the absence of difficult circumstances but from knowing that the Lord is with us—and in us, through His Spirit—if we have believed in Him. Because of that, we can have real peace. Paul reminded us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-6).

Instead of spending our time and energy being worried and anxious about the difficulties of this world that is hostile towards us and Christ, we can do what He has given us to do: abide in Him (John 15:1-11) and love one another (John 15:12, 17).

understand

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" is a promise that gives divine peace, not worldly peace.
Jesus’ peace is not dependent on external circumstances but comes from His presence through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus prepared His disciples for suffering and loss with the assurance of peace that would guard their hearts.

reflect

How does knowing that Jesus offers a peace that surpasses all understanding impact your approach to life's challenges and worries?
How do you actively seek the peace of Christ through His presence and the Holy Spirit in moments of distress?
What does your response when facing hardships or uncertainty reveal where you find your peace?

engage

How can we encourage each other to recognize Jesus’ peace during times of hardship and suffering?
What are the practical ways we can rely on the Holy Spirit to provide peace in our everyday lives?
How does Jesus' promise of peace challenge our understanding of peace in today's world, especially when the world offers temporary solutions?