Luke 12:35-59
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Watchful Slaves
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;(A) 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.(B) 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into.(C) 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”(D)
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?(E) 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know and will cut him in pieces[b] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating.(F) 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.(G)
Jesus the Cause of Division
49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!(H) 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!(I) 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(J)
Interpreting the Time
54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens.(K) 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.(L) 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?(M)
Settling with Your Opponent
57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to reach a settlement,[c] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison.(N) 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”(O)
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