Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹¹ This is all the more important because you know what time it is. The hour has come for you to wake up from sleep. Our salvation, you see, is nearer now than it was when first we came to faith. ¹² The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let’s put off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let’s behave appropriately, as in the daytime: not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in orgies and shameless immorality, not in bad temper and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and don’t make any allowance for the flesh and its lusts.

The unexpected coming

³⁶ “Nobody knows what day or time this will happen,” Jesus went on. “The angels in heaven don’t know it, and nor does the son; only the father knows. ³⁷ You see, the royal appearing of the son of man will be like the days of Noah.

³⁸ “What does that mean? Well, in those days, before the flood, they were eating and drinking, they were getting married and giving children in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark. ³⁹ They didn’t know about it until the flood came and swept them all away. That’s what it’ll be like at the royal appearing of the son of man.

⁴⁰ “On that day there will be two people working in the field. One will be taken, the other will be left. ⁴¹ There will be two women grinding corn in the mill. One will be taken, the other will be left.

⁴² “So keep alert! You don’t know what day your master will come. ⁴³ But bear this in mind: if the householder had known what time of night the burglar was going to come, he would have stayed awake and wouldn’t have let his house get broken into. ⁴⁴ So you too must be ready! The son of man is coming at a time you don’t expect.”