Luke 12:35–48

³⁵Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. ³⁶Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. ³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. ³⁸Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night^f and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.

³⁹But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming,^g he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹“Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”

⁴²And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

⁴⁵But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.