^42 (A)Watch therefore, for you do not know what ^[a]hour your Lord is coming.

^33 (A)Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. ^34 (B)It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave ^(C)authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ^35 (D)Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

^37 (A)Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. ³⁸ And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ^39 (B)But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would ^[a]have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

The Importance of Watching^(A)

³⁴ “But ^(B)take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with ^[a]carousing, drunkenness, and ^(C)cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

^36 (A)Watch therefore, and ^(B)pray always that you may ^[a]be counted ^(C)worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and ^(D)to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Dead Church

3 “And to the ^[a]angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who ^(A)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before ^[b]God. ^3 (B)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and ^(C)repent. ^(D)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you ^(E)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

^15 (A)“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, ^(B)lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”