Be Ready

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom their master finds keeping watch when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch or the third watch and finds them doing so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this: If the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he [fn]would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 40 [fn]Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41 Then Peter said [fn]to him, “Lord, are yoʋ telling this parable only for us, or for everyone else as well?” 42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 44 Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and he begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two and assign his portion to be with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master's will, but did not prepare himself or act according to his will, will be beaten with many lashes. 48 But the one who did not know his master's will, yet did what deserved a beating, will be beaten with few lashes. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from him to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.