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- "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.
- "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.
- "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.
- "Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
- "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
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- "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
- like men 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.
- It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
- It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
- 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.
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- "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."
- Peter said, "Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?"
- And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?
- "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
- "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
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- You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
- Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"
- The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
- It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
- I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
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- "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;
- the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
- "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
- but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
- "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!
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- But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
- The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
- "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
- But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
- "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
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- "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
- "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
- for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
- "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
- And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out.
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- But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!
- Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
- From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
- They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
- He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does.
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- "And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way.
- "You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?
- "And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?
- "For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
- "I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent."
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- And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is.
- Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
- "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
- As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
- I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
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