Luke 12:37

37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Luke 12:36 NEXT Luke 12:38

Luke 12:37 in Other Translations

KJV

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.

ESV

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

NLT

37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!

MSG

37 Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He'll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them.

CSB

37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.

Luke 12:37 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:37

Blessed are those servants whom the Lord
The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "their Lord", the master of them, or the Lord Jesus Christ:

when he cometh shall find watching:
for him, and not asleep. The Ethiopic version reads, "so doing, and watching"; girding up their loins, trimming their lamps, and waiting for their Lord's coming: such servants are happy, they will appear to be in the favour of their master, who will take notice of them and show some marks of respect to them; as Christ will to all his good and faithful servants, whenever he comes, whether at death, or at judgment; and who will be happy then, being found so doing, and found in him:

verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself;
not that Christ shall really do this, or appear in the form of a servant; but that he shall readily, cheerfully, and at once introduce his servants into his joy, and make them partakers of all the glories of the other world:

and make them to sit down to meat;
at his table in his kingdom; see ( Matthew 8:11 ) ( Luke 22:30 )

and will come forth and serve them;
with food, yea, will feed them himself, and lead them to fountains of living water, ( Revelation 7:17 ) The Arabic version renders it, "he shall stand to minister unto them": the phrase is expressive of the posture of a servant; who, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, is (Klwh) , "walking", and who goes round about the table, whilst others sit ^F20: some think there is allusion in the words to a custom used at some feasts, particularly at the feasts in honour of Saturn, in which servants changed clothes with their masters, and sat at their tables, and their masters served them ^F21

FOOTNOTES:

F20 Jarchi in T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 77. 2.
F21 Vide Lipsii Saturnal. l. 1. c. 2. p. 6.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Luke 12:37 In-Context

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.

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 was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

Cross References 2

1. Matthew 24:42,46; Matthew 25:13
2. S Matthew 20:28

Luke 12:37

Share

Settings

Luke 12:37 in Other Translations

Luke 12:37 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:37 In-Context

Cross References 2