Luke 2:37 (DRB)

Passage

And she was a widow until fourscore and four years: who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.

Luke 2:36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. She was far advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity.

Luke 2:37 And she was a widow until fourscore and four years: who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day.

Luke 2:38 Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord: and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.

Luke 2:39 And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "widow", "until", "fourscore", "years", "departed", "temple", and "fastings". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "widow" and "until", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 36's "And there was one Anna a prophetess..." into verse 38's "Now she at the same hour coming...", so "widow" and "until" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "widow" and "until" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.