Matthew 24:45-51
New English Translation
The Faithful and Wise Slave
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave,[a] whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves[b] their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work[c] when he comes. 47 I tell you the truth,[d] the master[e] will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if[f] that evil slave should say to himself,[g] ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 51 and will cut him in two,[h] and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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- Matthew 24:45 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
- Matthew 24:45 tn Grk “give them.”
- Matthew 24:46 tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.
- Matthew 24:47 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 24:47 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Matthew 24:48 tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).
- Matthew 24:48 tn Grk “should say in his heart.”
- Matthew 24:51 tn The verb διχοτομέω (dichotomeō) means to cut an object into two parts (L&N 19.19). This is an extremely severe punishment compared to the other two later punishments. To translate it simply as “punish” is too mild. If taken literally this servant is dismembered, although it is possible to view the stated punishment as hyperbole (L&N 38.12).
Matthew 24:45-51
English Standard Version
45 “Who then is (A)the faithful and (B)wise servant,[a] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 (C)Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, (D)he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master (E)is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[b] and eats and drinks with (F)drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come (G)on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place (H)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 24:45 Or bondservant; also verses 46, 48, 50
- Matthew 24:49 Or bondservants
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
