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.

¹¹ This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste;^(A) it is the Lord’s Passover.^(B)

¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(A) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(B) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(C) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(D) and with the trumpet call of God,^(E) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(F) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(G) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(H) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(I) forever.

²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.^{(A) 30} In the past God overlooked^(B) such ignorance,^(C) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.^{(D) 31} For he has set a day when he will judge^(E) the world with justice^(F) by the man he has appointed.^(G) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(H)

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,^(A) as faithful^(B) stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.^(C) If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,^(D) so that in all things God may be praised^(E) through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.^(F)