39
"1But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at whathour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be 2broken into.
40
"3You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."
41
Petersaid, "Lord, are You addressingthisparable to us, or4to everyone else as well?"
42
And 5the Lordsaid, "6Whothen is the faithful and sensible7steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the propertime?
43
"Blessed is that 8slavewhom his masterfindssodoing when he comes.
44
"Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
45
"But if that slavesays in his heart, 'My master will be a longtime in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves*, both men and women, and to eat and drink and getdrunk;
46
the master of that slave will come on a daywhen 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.
47
"And that slave who knew his master'swill and did not getreadyoract in accord with his will, will9receivemanylashes,
48
but the one who did not 10know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. 11From everyonewho has been givenmuch, much will be required; and to whom they entrustedmuch, of him they will askall the more.
Christ Divides Men
49"I have come to castfire upon the earth; and how I wish it were alreadykindled!