⁴⁴ So you also must be ready,^(A) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.^(A)

³³ Be on guard! Be alert^[a]!^(A) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(B) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

Watchfulness^(A)(B)

³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.^(C) Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.^{(D) 38} It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief^(E) was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready,^(F) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates^(A) we do not need to write to you,^{(B) 2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord^(C) will come like a thief in the night.^(D)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(A) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(B) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(C) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](D)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(A) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(B) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(C) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](D)