"Peace be with you" is an ancient greeting. In the Gospels it is how the risen Jesus greets his disciples. In churches it is exchanged every Sunday. And in Hebrew and Arabic, the ordinary word for hello still means the same thing: may you have peace.
The short version: "Peace be with you" is a blessing, not just a hello. It wishes the other person wholeness and safety. In church the usual answer is "And with your spirit" or "And also with you". Among Jews the greeting is Shalom aleichem, among Muslims As-salamu alaykum, answered with Wa alaykum as-salam.
Where "peace be with you" comes from
In the Hebrew Bible, shalom is a common greeting and blessing. When Gideon is terrified after meeting the angel of the LORD, he hears: "Peace be unto thee; fear not" (Judges 6:23, King James Version).
In the New Testament, the phrase belongs above all to Easter. In the Gospel of John, the risen Jesus comes to his frightened disciples behind locked doors:
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:19 (King James Version). He repeats the greeting twice more in the same chapter (John 20:21 and 20:26). Luke tells the same scene with the same words (Luke 24:36).
The greeting was also a commission. When Jesus sends out his disciples, he tells them: "And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house" (Luke 10:5).
What it means
"Peace be with you" is not a wish that nothing bad will happen. The disciples who heard it were afraid, and their situation had not changed. The greeting offers a peace that holds inside the fear: the shalom of wholeness, trust and being accompanied. That is why it is spoken in worship, at goodbyes, at sickbeds and at the end of letters.
How to respond
- In a Catholic Mass: the priest says "The peace of the Lord be with you always", and the people answer "And with your spirit". Then people exchange a sign of peace with those around them, often with a handshake and the words "Peace be with you".
- In many Protestant and Anglican services: the answer is often "And also with you".
- Between friends: a simple "And with you" or "Peace to you too" is enough.
There is no wrong answer. What matters is that the peace is received and passed on.
The same greeting in other traditions
- Hebrew: Shalom aleichem, "peace be upon you". The answer is Aleichem shalom, "upon you be peace".
- Arabic: As-salamu alaykum, "peace be upon you", the everyday greeting among Muslims worldwide. The answer is Wa alaykum as-salam, "and upon you be peace".
- Sanskrit and yoga circles: Om shanti, a wish for peace often said at the end of prayer or practice.
Many traditions, one gesture: before anything else is said, you wish the other person peace.
Peace be with you, every Sunday
Cosmic Peace Prayers turns this greeting into a small weekly practice. Every Sunday at 8 PM your local time, you pause for eight minutes and pass the wish on: to one person, to your city, to the world. You can pray in the words of your tradition or sit in silence. The timer on our home page rings a soft bell at the beginning and at the end.
If you are looking for words to pray, start with our Bible verses about peace, the short prayers for peace or the prayer for world peace.
Questions about "peace be with you"
What does "peace be with you" mean?
It is a blessing that wishes another person peace in the full sense of the Hebrew shalom: wholeness, safety and trust. In the Gospels of Luke and John it is the first thing the risen Jesus says when he appears to the gathered disciples.
How do you respond to "peace be with you"?
In a Catholic Mass the response is "And with your spirit". In many other churches it is "And also with you". In everyday conversation, "And with you" is enough.
Where is "peace be with you" in the Bible?
In the King James Version the risen Jesus says "Peace be unto you" in John 20:19, 20:21 and 20:26, and in Luke 24:36. Similar blessings appear throughout the Hebrew Bible, for example in Judges 6:23.
Is "peace be with you" the same as salaam or shalom?
Yes, in meaning. As-salamu alaykum in Arabic and Shalom aleichem in Hebrew both mean "peace be upon you". Christians, Jews and Muslims greet one another with the same wish.