Be in Readiness

35 [a](A)Be prepared, and keep your (B)lamps lit. 36 You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find (C)on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that (D)he will [b]prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. 38 (E)Whether he comes in the [c]second watch, or even in the [d]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 (F)But [e]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be (G)broken into. 40 (H)You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think He will.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:35 Lit Have your waist belted
  2. Luke 12:37 Lit belt himself up
  3. Luke 12:38 I.e., 9 p.m. to midnight
  4. Luke 12:38 I.e., midnight to 3 a.m.
  5. Luke 12:39 Lit know

Watchful Slaves

35 “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:39 Other ancient authorities add would have watched and