Luke 2:20 (KJV)

Passage

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Luke 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shepherds", "returned", "glorifying", "praising", "things", "heard", "seen", and "told". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shepherds" and "returned", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "But Mary kept all these things and..." into verse 21's "And when eight days were accomplished for...", so "shepherds" and "returned" 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 "shepherds" and "returned" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.