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“No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows. 33Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time. It is like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge. He assigned work to each one and ordered the guard to be alert. 35Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning. 36Make sure he doesn’t come suddenly and find you asleep.

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 the faithful and wise servant? The master will put that person in charge of giving the other servants their food at the right time.
• Matthew 25:14“The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them.
• Luke 19:12He said, “A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king, and then he returned.
• Romans 12:4Our bodies have many parts, but these parts don’t all do the same thing.
• Romans 13:6That is also why you pay your taxes. People in the government are God’s servants while they do the work he has given them.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants who helped you come to faith. Each did what the Lord gave him to do.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58So, then, brothers and sisters, don’t let anyone move you off the foundation ⌞of your faith⌟. Always excel in the work you do for the Lord. You know that the hard work you do for the Lord is not pointless.
• Colossians 3:24You know that your real master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real master, whom you are serving.
• Colossians 4:1Masters, be just and fair to your slaves because you know that you also have a master in heaven.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.
• Ezekiel 33:2“Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘Suppose I bring war on this country, and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman.
• Luke 12:36Be like servants waiting to open the door at their master’s knock when he returns from a wedding.
• Acts 20:29I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock.
• Matthew 16:19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.”
• John 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen.

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