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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return.

Context of Mark 13:34

32“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 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. 35“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36If he comes suddenly, do not let him 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 the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
• Matthew 25:14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.
• Luke 19:12He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
• Romans 12:4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
• Romans 13:6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
• Colossians 3:24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• Colossians 4:1Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
• Ezekiel 33:2“Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,
• Luke 12:36like servants 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.
• Acts 20:29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
• Matthew 16:19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
• John 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to 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