(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
- BSB so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
- NKJV (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
- NASB and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
- NLT As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Simeon warns Mary that a sword will pierce her soul, exposing the thoughts of many hearts. It matters because Christ's mission would bring deep sorrow and reveal true allegiances.
Overview
Simeon foretells personal grief for Mary, anticipating the suffering she would feel, supremely at the cross. Christ's coming forces a reckoning that lays bare the inner thoughts of all. The cross both pierces and exposes, revealing where each heart truly stands toward the Savior.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Cor 11:19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
- Deut 8:2And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
- Matt 12:24–35But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
- Ps 42:10As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
- Luke 16:14–15And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
- John 15:22–24If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
- Judg 5:15–16And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
- John 19:25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
- Acts 8:21–23Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
- John 8:42–47Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 2:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.