Font Size
Luke 12:35-59
New King James Version
Luke 12:35-59
New King James Version
The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant(A)
35 (B)“Let your waist be girded and (C)your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 (D)Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 (E)But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would [a]have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 (F)Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”
42 And the Lord said, (G)“Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food [b]in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 (H)Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 (I)But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a (J)day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And (K)that servant who (L)knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 (M)But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Christ Brings Division(N)
49 (O)“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But (P)I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is (Q)accomplished! 51 (R)Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, (S)but rather division. 52 (T)For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 (U)Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Discern the Time(V)
54 Then He also said to the multitudes, (W)“Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the (X)south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern (Y)this time?
Make Peace with Your Adversary
57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 (Z)When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort (AA)along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 12:39 NU not have allowed
- Luke 12:42 at the right time
Luke 12:35-59
New American Standard Bible
Luke 12:35-59
New American Standard Bible
Be in Readiness
35 “[a](A)Be prepared, and keep your (B)lamps lit. 36 You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find (C)on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that (D)he will [b]prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. 38 (E)Whether he comes in the [c]second watch, or even in the [d]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “(F)But [e]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be (G)broken into. 40 (H)You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think He will.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or (I)to everyone else as well?” 42 And (J)the Lord said, “(K)Who then is the faithful and sensible (L)steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that (M)slave whom his [f]master finds so doing when he comes. 44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will take a long time to come,’ and he begins to beat the other slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46 then the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, and will [g]cut him in two, and assign [h]him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accordance with his will, will (N)receive many blows, 48 but the one who did not (O)know it, and committed acts deserving of [i]a beating, will receive only a few blows. (P)From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
Christ Divides People
49 “I [j]have come to cast fire upon the earth; and [k]how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a (Q)baptism [l]to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 (R)Do you think that I came to provide peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, (S)father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 And He was also saying to the crowds, “(T)Whenever you see a cloud rising [m]in the west, you immediately say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. 55 And whenever you feel a [n]south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a (U)hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56 You hypocrites! (V)You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to analyze this present time?
57 “And (W)why do you not even judge by yourselves what is right? 58 For (X)when you are going with your accuser to appear before the magistrate, on the way, make an effort to [o]settle with him, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid up [p]the very last [q](Y)lepton.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 12:35 Lit Have your waist belted
- Luke 12:37 Lit belt himself up
- Luke 12:38 I.e., 9 p.m. to midnight
- Luke 12:38 I.e., midnight to 3 a.m.
- Luke 12:39 Lit know
- Luke 12:43 Or lord
- Luke 12:46 Possibly referring to other extreme punishment
- Luke 12:46 Lit his part with
- Luke 12:48 Lit blows
- Luke 12:49 Or came
- Luke 12:49 Lit what do I wish if...?
- Luke 12:50 Lit with which to be baptized
- Luke 12:54 I.e., from the Mediterranean
- Luke 12:55 I.e., from the desert
- Luke 12:58 Lit be rid of him
- Luke 12:59 Lit even the last
- Luke 12:59 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
Luke 12:35-59
Amplified Bible
Luke 12:35-59
Amplified Bible
Be in Readiness
35 “Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning. 36 Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may immediately open the door for him. 37 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those servants whom the master finds awake and watching when he arrives. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will prepare himself to serve, and will have them recline at the table, and will come and wait on them. 38 Whether he comes in the second watch (before midnight), or even in the third (after midnight), and finds them so [prepared and ready], blessed are those servants.
39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time the thief was coming, he [would have been awake and alert, and] would not have allowed his house to be broken into.(A) 40 You too, be continually ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us [disciples], or to everyone else as well?”
Parable of the Faithful Steward
42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward [of the estate], whom his master will put in charge over his household, to give his servants their portion of food at the proper time?(B) 43 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he arrives. 44 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time in coming,’ and begins to beat the servants, both men and women, 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 know, and will [a]cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes [of the whip], 48 but the one who did not know it and did things worthy of a beating, will receive only a few [lashes]. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.(C)
Christ Divides Men
49 “I have come to cast fire (judgment) on the earth; and how I wish that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism [of great suffering] with which to be baptized, and how [greatly] I am distressed until it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division [between believers and unbelievers];(D) 52 for from now on five in one household will be divided [over Me], three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(E)
54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and that is how it turns out. 55 And when [you see that] a south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders)! You know how to analyze and intelligently interpret the appearance of the earth and sky [to forecast the weather], but why do you not intelligently interpret this present time?
57 “And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? 58 For while you are going with your opponent [at law] to appear before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge does not [rule against you and] turn you over to the officer, and the officer does not throw you into prison.(F) 59 I say to you, you [absolutely] will not get out of there until you have paid the very last [b]cent.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 12:46 This may be a hyperbole for severe punishment short of execution.
- Luke 12:59 Gr lepton, 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wages.
Luke 12:35-59
New International Version
Luke 12:35-59
New International Version
Watchfulness(A)(B)
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 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. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.(C) Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.(D) 38 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. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief(E) was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready,(F) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord(G) answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of.(H) He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.(I) 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.(J) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Not Peace but Division(K)
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism(L) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!(M) 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”(N)
Interpreting the Times
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.(O) 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?(P)
57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.(Q) 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”(R)
Luke 12:35-59
King James Version
Luke 12:35-59
King James Version
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.
Read full chapter
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.