Matthew 24:42-46

24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day ¹  your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief ²  was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ³ 

The Faithful and Wise Slave

24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, ⁴  whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves ⁵  their food at the proper time? 24:46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work ⁶  when he comes.

[24:42]  ¹ tc Most later mss (L 0281 Ï lat) have here ὥρᾳ ({wra, “hour”) instead of ἡμέρα (Jemera, “day”). Although the merits of this reading could be argued either way, in light of the overwhelming and diverse early support for ἡμέρᾳ ({א B C D W Δ Θ Ë¹³ 33 892 1424, as well as several versions and fathers}), the more general term is surely correct.

[24:43]  ² sn On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.

[24:44]  ³ sn Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it would take some time – so long, in fact, that some will not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).

[24:45]  ⁴ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[24:45]  ⁵ tn Grk “give them.”

[24:46]  ⁵ tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.