^43 (A)But know this, that if the master of the house had known what ^[a]hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ^44 (B)Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

^34 (A)It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave ^(B)authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ^35 (C)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!”

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. ³⁵ For ^(D)it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ^36 (E)Watch therefore, and ^(F)pray always that you may ^[b]be counted ^(G)worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and ^(H)to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant^(A)

^45 (B)“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food ^[a]in due season? ^46 (C)Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that ^(D)he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master ^(E)is delaying ^[b]his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is ^(F)not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. ^(G)There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.