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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
- KJV 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.
- BSB Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
- NASB 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.
- NLT as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Be like servants watching for their master's return from a wedding feast, ready to open at his knock. Faithful disciples eagerly await and welcome their Lord.
Overview
Jesus pictures servants whose readiness lets them respond instantly when their master arrives at an unknown hour. The point is wakeful, expectant service rather than complacency. This anticipates Christ's own return, calling His people to live in joyful readiness to receive Him whenever He comes.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Jude 1:20–21But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
- Jas 5:7–8Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain.
- Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
- Lam 3:25–26Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
- Isa 64:4For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.
- Matt 25:1–13“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
- Mark 13:34–37“It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
- Gen 49:18I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.
- Luke 2:25–30Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
- Song 5:5–6I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
- Matt 24:42–44Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.
- Matt 22:1–14Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying,
- 2 Pet 1:13–15I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 12:36 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.