^12:35“Get dressed for service⁸⁵ and keep your lamps burning;⁸⁶^12:36be like people⁸⁷ waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration,⁸⁸ so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ^12:37Blessed are those slaves⁸⁹ whom their master finds alert⁹⁰ when he returns! I tell you the truth,⁹¹ he will dress himself to serve,⁹² have them take their place at the table,⁹³ and will come⁹⁴ and wait on them!⁹⁵^12:38Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night⁹⁶ and finds them alert,⁹⁷ blessed are those slaves!⁹⁸^12:39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief⁹⁹ was coming, he would not have let¹⁰⁰ his house be broken into. ^12:40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”¹⁰¹

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Footnotes

85 Grk “Let your loins be girded,” an idiom referring to the practice of tucking the ends of the long cloak (outer garment) into the belt to shorten it in preparation for activities like running, etc.
86 Keep your lamps burning means to be ready at all times.
87 That is, like slaves (who are mentioned later, vv. 37–38), although the term ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is used here. Since in this context it appears generic rather than gender-specific, the translation “people” is employed.
88 An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tob 11:18).
89 See the note on the word “slave” in .
90 Or “watching”; Grk “awake,” but in context this is not just being awake but alert and looking out.
91 Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
92 See v. 35 (same verb).
93 Grk “have them recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
94 The participle παρελθών (parelthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
95 He … will come and wait on them is a reversal of expectation, but shows that what Jesus asks for he is willing to do as well; see John 13:5 and 15:18–27, although those instances merely foreshadow what is in view here.
96 The second or third watch of the night would be between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on a Roman schedule and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on a Jewish schedule. Luke uses the four-watch schedule of the Romans in Acts 12:4, so that is more probable here. Regardless of the precise times of the watches, however, it is clear that the late-night watches when a person is least alert are in view here.
97 Grk “finds (them) thus”; but this has been clarified in the translation by referring to the status (“alert”) mentioned in v. 37.
98 Grk “blessed are they”; the referent (the watchful slaves, v. 37) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
99 On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.
100 Most (א1 A B L Q W Θ Ψ 070 f1, 13 33 𝔐 lat syp,h sams bo) read “he would have watched and not let” here, but this looks like an assimilation to Matt 24:43. The alliance of two important and early along with a few others (𝔓75 א* [D] e i sys,c samss), coupled with much stronger internal evidence, suggests that the shorter reading is authentic.
101 Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it might take some time—so long, in fact, that some would not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. You are to be like people 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. Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them. If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, blessed are those servants. But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

NLTNew Living Translation

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

“Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“You must be prepared for action and your lamps burning. And you, be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes back and knocks, they can open the door for him immediately. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he returns! Truly I say to you that he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come by and serve them. Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find them like this, blessed are they! But understand this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

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