Luke 2:35 (LSB)

Passage

and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well—that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Nearby Context

Luke 2:33 And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him.

Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—

Luke 2:35 and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well—that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,

Luke 2:37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sword", "pierce", "through", "soul", "well", "thoughts", "hearts", and "revealed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sword" and "pierce", 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 said to..." into verse 36's "And there was a prophetess Anna the...", so "sword" and "pierce" 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 "sword" and "pierce" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.