Translation
But the angel said the them, “Fear not, for I am bringing you good news of great joy, which will be for all people,
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
But the messenger said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I am bringing you good news, joyous news, wonderful news; it is not only for you but for everyone everywhere.
Footnotes
1: “for all people”
The shepherds could easily have wondered why the message was given to them if it was for everyone. They had no platform from which to speak, no natural audience, no receptivity in the general population. Why would God tell them if He wanted everyone to hear about it. From our vantage point we can now see that it was a wise choice for they were very energetic in their efforts to tell others. They also epitomized the type of people Jesus was coming to help.