Luke 1:10 (GNV)

Passage

And the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer, while the incense was burning.

Nearby Context

Luke 1:8 And it came to passe, as he executed the Priestes office before God, as his course came in order,

Luke 1:9 According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense, when he went into the Temple of the Lord.

Luke 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer, while the incense was burning.

Luke 1:11 Then appeared vnto him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

Luke 1:12 And when Zacharias sawe him, he was troubled, and feare fell vpon him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whole", "multitude", "people", "without", "prayer", "incense", and "burning". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whole" and "multitude", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "According to the custome of the Priests..." into verse 11's "Then appeared vnto him an Angel of...", so "whole" and "multitude" 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 "whole" and "multitude" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.