Luke 2:18 (WEB)

Passage

All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

Nearby Context

Luke 2:16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

Luke 2:17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

Luke 2:18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

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

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "When they saw it they publicized widely..." into verse 19's "But Mary kept all these sayings pondering...", so "heard" and "wondered" 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 "heard" and "wondered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.