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.
Parallel translations
- WEB then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.
- BSB The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
- NKJV the master of that servant will come on a 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.
- NASB 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 cut him in two, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
- NLT The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.
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
The master will return unexpectedly and severely punish the unfaithful servant, assigning him with the unbelievers. Hypocritical, faithless service ends in judgment.
Overview
Jesus declares that the negligent, abusive steward will face sudden judgment when the master returns at an unforeseen hour. Being placed 'with the unfaithful' signals exclusion and condemnation. This solemn warning underscores that mere outward position among God's people is no substitute for genuine, faithful service to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 11:5The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
- Rev 16:15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
- Luke 12:40Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
- Matt 24:51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Luke 12:19–20And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
- Matt 13:41–42The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
- Ps 37:9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
- Ps 94:14For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
- Matt 13:49–50So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
- Job 20:29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
- Matt 7:22–23Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
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 12:46 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.