On the Alert for the Master’s Return

35 “⌊You must be prepared for action⌋[fn] and your[fn] lamps burning. 36 And you, be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast,[fn] so that when he[fn] comes back and knocks, they can open the door[fn] for him immediately. 37 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[fn] serve them. 38 Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find them[fn] like this, blessed are they! 39 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. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.”[fn]