Luke 12:37

Luke 12:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
• New International Version (NIV)It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

Context of Luke 12:37

35“Be prepared, and keep your lamps lit. 36You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for 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 prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. 38Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. 39“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.

Luke 12:37 word by word

μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι περιζώσεται καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτούς, καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.Read the interlinear

• Blessedμακάριοςmakarios · blessedG3107
• are thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• slavesδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the masterκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
• will findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• on the alertγρηγορέωgrēgoreuō · to keep watchG1127
• when he comesἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• trulyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• prepareπεριζώννυμιperizōnnumi · to girdG4024
• and have them reclineἀνακλίνωanaklinō · to reclineG347
• and he will comeπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
• and serveδιακονέωdiakoneō · to serveG1247

Cross-references for Luke 12:37

• Luke 12:43Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
• Luke 21:36But stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
• Matthew 24:45“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household slaves, to give them their food at the proper time?
• Matthew 25:20The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’
• Philippians 1:21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
• 2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
• 1 Peter 5:1Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed:
• 2 Peter 1:11for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
• 2 Peter 3:14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace,
• Revelation 14:13And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
• Isaiah 62:5For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the groom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.
• Jeremiah 32:41I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and all My soul.
• Zephaniah 3:17The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
• John 13:4got up from supper and laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9but just as it is written: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the human heart, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Commentaries on Luke 12:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37He shall gird himself - Alluding to the long garments which were worn in the eastern countries; and which, in travelling and serving, were tucked up in their belts. That those among the Romans who waited on the company at table were girded, and had their clothes tucked up, appears from what Horace says, Sat. b. vi. l. 107: Veluti Succinctus cursitat Hospes, He runs about like a girded waiter. The host himself often performed this office. And ibid. viii…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37Shall gird himself - Shall take the place of the servant himself. Servants who waited on the table were girded in the manner described above. Shall make them sit … - Shall place them at his table and feast them. This evidently means that if we are faithful to Christ, and are ready to meet him when he returns, he will receive us into heaven - will admit us to all its blessings, and make us happy there - as if “he” should serve us and minister to our wants…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-40Verses 22-40 Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, Mt 6:25-34. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37he himself will come and wait on them: In Middle Eastern culture, the master would never serve his servants. Jesus changed the master's role by serving his disciples, offering himself for them, and providing for all their needs (see 22:24–27). he will dress himself to serve: In this culture, servants often tied up or adjusted their long robes before working so they could move freely. The picture here is surprising because the master takes the place of a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 35-4035-40. loins ... girded--to fasten up the long outer garment, always done before travel and work (2Ki 4:29; Ac 12:8). The meaning is, Be in readiness. lights, &c.--(See on Mt 25:1).Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 12:37

• Character
• Death
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Obedience
• Servant
• Steward
• Temptation
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Beat
• Divide
• Divider
• Forewarn
• Hell
• Hypocrisy
• Teach
• Visit
• Watch

Commentaries on Luke 12

• 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
• 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