Rewards and Punishment

41 “Lord,” Peter asked, “are you telling this parable to us or to everyone?”

42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager(A) his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food(B) at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’(C) and starts to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces[a] and assign him a place with the unfaithful.[b] 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it[c] will be severely beaten.(D) 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved(E) punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.[d](F)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:46 Lit him in two
  2. 12:46 Or unbelievers
  3. 12:47 Lit or do toward his will,
  4. 12:48 Or much

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable just for us or for everyone?”

42 The Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and careful servant manager whom his master will put in charge of giving all his other servants their share of food at the right time? 43 How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes! 44 I tell you with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself,[a] ‘My master is taking a long time to come back,’ and begins to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he doesn’t expect him and at an hour that he doesn’t know. Then his master[b] will punish him severely[c] and assign him a place with unfaithful people. 47 That servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating. 48 But the servant[d] who did things that deserved a beating without knowing it will receive a light beating. Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given. But even more will be demanded from the one to whom much has been entrusted.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:45 Lit. in his heart
  2. Luke 12:46 Lit. he
  3. Luke 12:46 Lit. cut him in pieces
  4. Luke 12:48 Lit. the one