Luke 2:25 (KJV)

Passage

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

Luke 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Luke 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

Luke 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Luke 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "jerusalem", "whose", "name", "simeon", "same", "just", and "devout". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "jerusalem", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 24's "And to offer a sacrifice according to..." into verse 26's "And it was revealed unto him by...", so "behold" and "jerusalem" 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 "behold" and "jerusalem" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.