Mark 13:34

Mark 13:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
• New International Version (NIV)It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

Context of Mark 13:34

32“Now concerning that day or hour no one knows — neither the angels in heaven nor the Son — but only the Father. 33“Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming. “It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 35Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming — whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. 36Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping.

Mark 13:34 word by word

ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀπόδημος ἀφεὶς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ δοὺς τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἑκάστῳ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ θυρωρῷ ἐνετείλατο ἵνα γρηγορῇ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• taking a far journeyἀπόδημοςapodēmos · absentG590
• who leftἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• houseὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• to every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• commandedἐντέλλωentellomai · to orderG1781
• the porterθυρωρόςthurōros · gatekeeperG2377
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• watchγρηγορέωgrēgoreuō · to keep watchG1127

Cross-references for Mark 13:34

• Matthew 24:45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time?
• Matthew 25:14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
• Luke 19:12Therefore he said, “A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return.
• Romans 12:4Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function,
• Romans 13:6And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
• Colossians 3:24knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
• Colossians 4:1Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me.
• Ezekiel 33:2“Son of man, speak to your people and tell them, ‘Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman.
• Luke 12:36You are to be like people 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.
• Acts 20:29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
• Matthew 16:19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
• John 10:3The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Commentaries on Mark 13:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34Left his house - , family. Our blessed Lord and Master, when he ascended to heaven, commanded his servants to be faithful and watchful. This fidelity to which he exhorts his servants consists in doing every thing well which is to be done, in the heart or in the family, according to the full extent of the duty. The watchfulness consists in suffering no stranger nor enemy to enter in by the senses, which are the gates of the soul; in permitting nothing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34Who left his house - The word “house” often means family. Our Saviour here represents himself as going away, leaving his household the church, assigning to the apostles and all his servants their duty, and leaving it uncertain when he would return. Since his return was a matter of vast consequence, and as the affairs of his kingdom were entrusted to them, just as the affairs of a house are to servants when the master is absent, so it was of vast…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-37Verses 28-37 We have the application of this prophetic sermon. As to the destruction of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly. As to the end of the world, do not inquire when it will come, for of that day and that hour knoweth no man. Christ, as God, could not be ignorant of anything; but the Divine wisdom which dwelt in our Saviour, communicated itself to his human soul according to the Divine pleasure. As to both, our duty is to watch and pray. Our…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34-35The point of this parable is not that the Lord’s return is doubtful or completely unexpected (see Matthew 24:45–51; 25:1–30; Luke 12:36–38; 19:12–27). Rather, it teaches that there will be no warning sign before he comes. The parable uses symbolic language in at least two ways: The master (Greek kurios, “lord” or “master”) represents the Lord Jesus Christ. The servants represent the Christian community. However, interpreting the doorkeeper as the apostles…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3434. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, &c.--The idea thus far is similar to that in the opening part of the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14, 15). and commanded the porter--the gatekeeper. to watch--pointing to the official duty of the ministers of religion to give warning of approaching danger to the people.Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 13:34

• Commandments
• Earth
• Jesus Continued
• Temptation
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Son of man
• Choose
• Authority in Religion
• Doorkeeper
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Far; Farther
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Millennium, Premillennial View
• Parousia

Commentaries on Mark 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings