“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.”
- KJV Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
- NKJV “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
- NASB (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.”)
- NLT “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”
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
Christ interjects a promise to come like a thief and a blessing on the watchful. Believers are called to constant readiness amid the gathering crisis.
Overview
Amid the gathering for battle, the Lord himself speaks: 'Behold, I come like a thief,' urging vigilance. The blessing on the one who stays awake and keeps his garments calls believers to persevering faithfulness and readiness, not to be caught spiritually exposed. It is a pastoral word of hope and exhortation set within the scene of judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- 1 Th 5:2–3For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
- Matt 24:42–43Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
- 2 Pet 3:10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
- Rev 3:18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
- Rev 3:3–4Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you.
- Luke 12:37–43Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
- Matt 25:13Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
- Mark 13:33–37Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come.
- 2 Cor 5:3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
- Luke 21:36So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- 1 Pet 4:7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray.
- 1 Th 5:6So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
- Matt 26:41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- Isa 47:3Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”
- Acts 20:31Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
- Ezek 16:37therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked.
- Hab 2:15Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
- Hos 2:3Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst.
- Exod 32:25Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 16:15 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.