Luke 12:35-48

Living Bible

³⁵ “Be prepared—all dressed and ready— ³⁶ for your Lord’s return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. ³⁷ There will be great joy for those who are ready and waiting for his return. He himself will seat them and put on a waiter’s uniform and serve them as they sit and eat! ³⁸ He may come at nine o’clock at night—or even at midnight. But whenever he comes, there will be joy for his servants who are ready!

³⁹ “Everyone would be ready for him if they knew the exact hour of his return—just as they would be ready for a thief if they knew when he was coming. ⁴⁰ So be ready all the time. For I, the Messiah,^[a] will come when least expected.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you talking just to us or to everyone?”

^42-44 And the Lord replied, “I’m talking to any faithful, sensible man whose master gives him the responsibility of feeding the other servants. If his master returns and finds that he has done a good job, there will be a reward—his master will put him in charge of all he owns.

⁴⁵ “But if the man begins to think, ‘My Lord won’t be back for a long time,’ and begins to whip the men and women he is supposed to protect, and to spend his time at drinking parties and in drunkenness— ⁴⁶ well, his master will return without notice and remove him from his position of trust and assign him to the place of the unfaithful. ⁴⁷ He will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty he refused to do it.

⁴⁸ “But anyone who is not aware that he is doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater.