35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 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.

37 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.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 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.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

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35 (A)[a]Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning,

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find waking: verily I say unto you, he will gird himself about, and make them to sit down at table, and will come forth, and serve them.

38 And if he come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and shall find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 (B)Now understand this, that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would have come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be dug through.

40 [b]Be ye also prepared therefore: for the Son of man will come at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Master, tellest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who is a faithful steward and wise, whom the master shall make ruler over his household, to give them their [c]portion of meat in season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his master when he cometh, shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth, I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But if that servant say in his heart, My master doth defer his coming, and shall begin to smite the servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,

46 The master of that servant will come in a day when he thinketh not, and at an hour when he is not aware of, and will cut him off, and give him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant that knew his master’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew it not, and yet did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes: for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required, and to whom men much commit, [d]the more of him will they ask.

49 [e]I am come to put fire on the earth, and what is my desire, if it be already kindled?

50 Notwithstanding I must be baptized with a baptism, and how am I grieved till it be ended?

51 (C)Think ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, nay, but rather debate.

52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father: the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother: the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

54 (D)[f]Then said he to the people, When ye see a cloud [g]rise out of the West, straightway ye say, A shower cometh: and so it is.

55 And when ye see the South wind blow, ye say, that it will be hot: and it cometh to pass.

56 Hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the earth, and of the sky: but why discern ye not this time?

57 [h]Yea, and why judge ye not of yourselves what is right?

58 (E)While thou goest with thine adversary to the ruler, as thou art in the way, give diligence in the way, that thou mayest be delivered from him, lest he draw thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the [i]jailer, and the jailer cast thee into prison.

59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the utmost mite.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 12:35 The life of the faithful servants of God, in this world is a certain watchful peregrination, having the light of the word going before it.
  2. Luke 12:40 None have more need to watch, than they that have some degree of honor in the household of God.
  3. Luke 12:42 That is, every month such measure of corn as was appointed them.
  4. Luke 12:48 More than of him to whom so much was not given.
  5. Luke 12:49 The Gospel is the only cause of peace between the goodly, and so is it the occasion of great trouble among the wicked.
  6. Luke 12:54 Men which are very quick of sight in earthly things, are blind in those things which pertain to the heavenly life, and that through their own malice.
  7. Luke 12:54 Which appeareth, and gathereth itself together in that part of the air.
  8. Luke 12:57 Men that are blinded with the love of themselves, and therefore are detestable and stubborn, shall bear the reward of their folly.
  9. Luke 12:58 To him that had to demand and gather the amerciaments which they were condemned unto that had wrongfully troubled men: moreover, the magistrate’s officers make them which are condemned, pay that, that they owe, yea, and oftentimes if they be obstinate, they do not only take the cost and charge of them, but also imprison them.