Luke 2:35 (GNV)

Passage

(Yea and a sworde shall pearce through thy soule) that the thoughts of many heartes may be opened.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:33 And Ioseph and his mother marueiled at those things, which were spoken touching him.

Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and saide vnto Mary his mother, Beholde, this childe is appointed for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel, and for a signe which shalbe spoken against,

Luke 2:35 (Yea and a sworde shall pearce through thy soule) that the thoughts of many heartes may be opened.

Luke 2:36 And there was a Prophetesse, one Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, which was of a great age, after she had liued with an husband seuen yeeres from her virginitie:

Luke 2:37 And she was widowe about foure score and foure yeeres, and went not out of the Temple, but serued God with fastings and prayers, night and day.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sworde", "shall", "pearce", "through", "soule", "thoughts", "heartes", and "opened". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sworde" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 34's "And Simeon blessed them and saide vnto..." into verse 36's "And there was a Prophetesse one Anna...", so "sworde" and "shall" 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 "sworde" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.