2:27. The phrase “by the Spirit” probably does double duty here indicating that Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple while Jesus was there and that what Simeon did and said while there was directed by the same Spirit. When Luke says that Simeon was led into the temple (hieron), he apparently means the temple precinct in general. Since the inner parts of the temple were forbidden to women and since the inner sanctuary was restricted to priestly activity only, Simeon probably met the