LUKE 12:37 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) The master would bless the slaves that are ready, watching for when he arrives. I can assure you that he’ll dress himself and then he’ll seat them on couches and come and serve them there himself.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Blessed are those servants whom the master will find watching when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them recline to eat, and he will come and serve them.

UST It will be very good for those servants if they are awake when their master returns. Let me tell you this: He will reward them by dressing like a servant, telling them to sit down, and serving them a meal.

BSB Blessed [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.

BLB Blessed are those servants whom, having come, the master will find watching. Truly I say to you that he will gird himself and will make them recline, and having come up, will serve them.

AICNT “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird[fn] himself and have them recline at table [and he will come and serve them].[fn]

12:37, gird: See the footnote for verse 35.

12:37, and he will come and serve them: Absent from ℵ(01).

OEB Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and have them take their places at the table, and will come and serve them.

WEBBE Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Blessed are those slaves whom their master finds alert when he returns! I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, have them take their place at the table, and will come and wait on them!

LSV Blessed those servants, whom the lord, having come, will find watching; truly I say to you that he will gird himself, and will cause them to recline, and having come near, will minister to them;

FBV How good it will be for those servants that the master finds watching when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will get dressed, have them sit down for a meal, and will come and serve them himself!

TCNT 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.

T4T If those servants are awake when he returns, he will be very pleased with them. I will tell you this: He will put on the kind of clothes that servants wear and tell them to sit down, and he will serve them a meal.

LEB 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.

12:37 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will come by”) has been translated as a finite verb

BBE Happy are those servants who are watching when the lord comes; truly I say to you, he will make himself their servant and, placing them at the table, he will come out and give them food.

Moff Blessed are those servants whom the lord and master finds awake when he comes! I tell you truly, he will gird himself, make them recline at table, and come forward to wait on them.

Wymth Blessed are those servants, whom their Master when He comes shall find on the watch. I tell you in solemn truth, that He will tie an apron round Him, and will bid them recline at table while He comes and waits on them.

ASV 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 sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

DRA Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.

YLT 'Happy those servants, whom the lord, having come, shall find watching; verily I say to you, that he will gird himself, and will cause them to recline (at meat), and having come near, will minister to them;

Drby Blessed are those bondmen whom the lord [on] coming shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he will gird himself and make them recline at table, and coming up will serve them.

RV 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 sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.
(Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh/comes shall find watching: verily/truly I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. )

SLT Happy those servants, whom the Lord having come shall find watching; truly I say to you, he will gird himself, and make them recline, and having come he will serve them.

Wbstr Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them to sit down to eat, and will come forth and serve them.

KJB-1769 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.
( Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh/comes shall find watching: verily/truly I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. )

KJB-1611 Blessed are those seruants, whom the Lord when he commeth, shall find watching: Uerily, I say vnto you, That he shall girde himselfe, and make them to sit downe to meate, and will come foorth and serue them.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Happy are those seruauntes, who the Lorde, when he commeth, shall fynde wakyng. Ueryly I say vnto you, that he shall girde him selfe, and make them to syt downe to meate, and wyll come foorth, and minister vnto them.
(Happy are those servants, who the Lord, when he cometh/comes, shall find waking. Verily/Truly I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth, and minister unto them.)

Gnva Blessed are those seruants, whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking: verely I say vnto you, he will girde himselfe about, and make them to sit downe at table, and will come forth, and serue them.
(Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh/comes shall find waking: verily/truly I say unto you, he will gird himself about, and make them to sit down at table, and will come forth, and serve them. )

Cvdl Blessed are those seruauntes, whom the LORDE (whan he cometh) shal fynde wakynge. Verely I saye vnto you: He shal gyrde vp him self, and make them syt downe at the table, and shal go by them, and mynister vnto them.
(Blessed are those servants, whom the LORD (whan he cometh/comes) shall find waking. Verily/Truly I say unto you: He shall gird up him self, and make them sit down at the table, and shall go by them, and minister unto them.)

TNT Happy are those servauntes which the Lorde when he cometh shall fynde wakynge. Verely I saye vnto you he will gerdde him selfe about and make them sit doune to meate and walke by and minister vnto them.
(Happy are those servants which the Lord when he cometh/comes shall find waking. Verily/Truly I say unto you he will gerdde himself about and make them sit down to meat and walk by and minister unto them. )

Wycl Blessid be tho seruauntis, that whanne the lord schal come, he schal fynde wakynge. Treuli Y seie to you, that he schal girde hym silf, and make hem sitte to mete, and he schal go, and serue hem.
(Blessed be those servants, that when the lord shall come, he shall find waking. Truly I say to you, that he shall gird himself, and make hem sit to meet, and he shall go, and serve hem.)

Luth Selig sind die Knechte, die der Herr, so er kommt, wachend findet. Wahrlich, ich sage euch, er wird sich aufschürzen und wird sie zu Tisch setzen und vor ihnen gehen und ihnen dienen.
(Blessed are the servant(s), the the/of_the Lord, so he comes, wake/watch(v)d finds. Truly, I said you, he becomes itself/yourself/themselves ontochürzen and becomes they/she/them to/for table set/put/place and before/in_front_of to_them go and to_them serve/be_of_service.)

ClVg Beati servi illi quos, cum venerit dominus, invenerit vigilantes: amen dico vobis, quod præcinget se, et faciet illos discumbere, et transiens ministrabit illis.[fn]
(Blessed slaves them which, when/with will_have_placed master, found vigilantes: amen I_mean/say to_you(pl), that beforecinget himself, and will_do those discumbere, and passing_by ministrabit to_them. )

12.37 Vigilantes. Vigilat qui oculos apertos in vero lumine tenet, ut tenebras negligentiæ evitet; qui etiam quod credidit operatur, qui sollicitus est in cura gregis sibi commissi. Quid vero vigilantibus debeatur subdit: Amen dico vobis.

12.37 Vigilantes. Vigilat who/which the_eyes open in/into/on indeed/however the_light holds, as darkness negligentiæ evitet; who/which also that believed works, who/which worried it_is in/into/on care flock to_himself commissi. What indeed/however vigilantibus shouldur I_submit: Amen I_mean/say to_you(pl).

UGNT μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν, ὁ Κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας. ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτοὺς, καὶ παρελθὼν, διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.
(makarioi hoi douloi ekeinoi, hous elthōn, ho Kurios heuraʸsei graʸgorountas. amaʸn, legō humin, hoti perizōsetai kai anaklinei autous, kai parelthōn, diakonaʸsei autois.)

SBL-GNT μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτοὺς καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.
(makarioi hoi douloi ekeinoi, hous elthōn ho kurios heuraʸsei graʸgorountas; amaʸn legō humin hoti perizōsetai kai anaklinei autous kai parelthōn diakonaʸsei autois.)

RP-GNT Μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτούς, καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.
(Makarioi hoi douloi ekeinoi, hous elthōn ho kurios heuraʸsei graʸgorountas; amaʸn legō humin hoti perizōsetai kai anaklinei autous, kai parelthōn diakonaʸsei autois.)

TC-GNT Μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτούς, καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.
(Makarioi hoi douloi ekeinoi, hous elthōn ho kurios heuraʸsei graʸgorountas; amaʸn legō humin hoti perizōsetai kai anaklinei autous, kai parelthōn diakonaʸsei autois. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:35–48: Jesus’ servants should be watchful and faithful

In this section Jesus continued to teach his disciples. He told them to do their work faithfully and to be ready for the time he would return to earth. He used three illustrations that all emphasized how important it is to be prepared for his return. In 12:35–38 he described a man who had gone to a wedding feast. His servants needed to be ready to open the door for him at whatever time he returned. In 12:39 he described the owner of a house watching out for a thief who might come at an unexpected time. In 12:41–48, Jesus explained the difference between a faithful servant and an unfaithful servant. This encouraged his disciples to be faithful.

Some other headings for this section are:

Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (CEV)

Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming (NLT)

Watchfulness (NIV)

There is a parallel passage for 12:41–48 in Matthew 24:45–51.

Paragraph 12:35–38

In this paragraph Jesus continued to speak. It may be helpful to indicate this here at the beginning of this new section. For example:

Jesus also said …

Jesus continued teaching his disciples and he said…

12:37a

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns.

Those servants will be truly happy/fortunate when their master sees that they have been watching for him to return.
When their master returns and realizes/discovers that his servants are awake and watching for him, he will be very pleased with them.
The master will certainly reward those servants whom he finds watching for his return.

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns: In this context there is one master, and he has more than one servant. Your translation should not imply that there is more than one master. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

How happy are those servants whose master finds them awake (GNT)

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake

If their master finds them watching when he arrives, those servants will be most blessed/fortunate.

Blessed are those servants: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates literally as Blessed are those servants means that these servants will be truly happy or fortunate. In this context it implies that their master will be pleased with them and will show them special favor.

See bless, Meaning 3 in the Glossary.

servants: The Greek word that the BSB translates as servants also means “slaves.” Some English versions, such as the NASB and NRSV, translate it that way. These people were owned by another person. They worked for their owner/master without receiving pay.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, a word such as “slaves” may have the wrong connotations. If that is true in your language, other ways to translate this are:

workers

servants

whom the master finds on watch when he returns: The clause whom the master finds on watch when he returns indicates here that the master sees that his servants are awake and expecting him to come. Some other ways to translate this are:

whose master finds them awake and ready (GNT)

he sees that they were watching for him (NCV)

whom the master finds alert (NRSV)

12:37b

Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve

In fact, he will put on the clothes of a servant,
I assure you that he will dress in work clothes,
I assure you^(plur) of this, he will prepare to work,

Truly I tell you: Jesus often used the words Truly I tell you to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. He wanted people to listen with extra attention. Some other ways to show this emphasis are:

I assure you (JBP)

I can guarantee this truth (GW)

This expression first occurs in Luke at 4:24a. It has almost the same meaning as the expression “I tell you,” which first occurs in Luke in 10:12.

he will dress himself to serve: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as he will dress himself to serve is literally “he will gird himself.” Some English versions, such as the RSV, translate it that way. It is a different form of the same verb used in 12:35. See the note there. In 12:35 the verb was used as a metaphor for a servant being ready.

In the parable in this context, the master had just returned from a wedding feast. He may have changed his clothes, but it is also possible that he simply tucked his robe up into the sash around his waist. Either way, the clause literally describes what the master did with his clothes in order to serve a meal to his servants.

In some languages a literal translation of the clause will not be clear. Some other ways to translate it are:

Use clothing that is appropriate in your culture for expressing the meaning. For example:
He will hitch up his robe (REB)
He will fasten his belt (NRSV)
put on an apron (NLT)
Refer to clothing in general and make the function explicit, if necessary. For example:
He will change his clothes (GW)
He will dress himself to serve (NCV)
Omit the reference to clothing. Translate only the function of the clothing. For example:
he will get ready (CEV)

Consider how the people in your language area dress themselves in order to do work such as cooking and serving food.

12:37c

and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.

and he will tell his servants to sit down at the table. Then he will serve food to them.
and then he will cause his servants to sit down to eat and he will feed/serve them.

will have them recline at the table: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as have them recline at the table is literally “have them recline.” The BSB has supplied the phrase at the table to indicate the specific meaning in this context.

When people ate formal meals in Jesus’ time, they often lay on couches around a low table. They ate while leaning on one elbow. If people in your culture do not normally lie on couches when they eat formal meals, you may use a natural expression in your culture for this context. For example:

make them sit down at the table (GW)

tell the servants to sit at the table (NCV)

have them sit down to eat (NRSV)

Parallel LUKE 12:37

Section 12:35–48: Jesus’ servants should be watchful and faithful

Paragraph 12:35–38

12:37a

12:37b

12:37c