Luc 12:39

39 Vous savez que si un père de famille était averti à quelle heure un larron doit venir, il veillerait et ne laisserait pas percer sa maison.

Luc 12:39 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:39

And this know
The Ethiopic version reads, "this only know"; only take notice of this one thing, and it may be of some use to direct you in your conduct how to behave during the absence of your Lord, until the time he shall come again:

that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief
would come;
that is, if the owner, or master of the house, whose the goods in the house are, could by any means know what time of the night the thief would come to break into his house, in order to plunder it, and carry off his goods:

he would have watched;
either he himself in person, or he would have set a watch about his house, or in it:

and not have suffered his house to be broken through;
either the door to be broken up, or the wall to be dug through, but by a guard about it, or within it, would have prevented such a design. And so in like manner, could it be known in what time Christ would come, either to the destruction of Jerusalem, or at death, or to judgment, every thoughtful, prudent man that should know it, would be upon his guard, that he might not be surprised with it; and though the precise time could not be known, yet inasmuch as the thing itself is certain, it became all the servants of Christ to be watching for it; (See Gill on Matthew 24:43).

Luc 12:39 In-Context

37 Heureux ces serviteurs que le maître trouvera veillant quand il arrivera! Je vous dis en vérité, qu'il se ceindra, qu'il les fera mettre à table, et qu'il viendra les servir.

38 Que s'il arrive à la seconde ou à la troisième veille, et qu'il les trouve dans cet état, heureux ces serviteurs-là!

39 Vous savez que si un père de famille était averti à quelle heure un larron doit venir, il veillerait et ne laisserait pas percer sa maison.

40 Vous donc aussi, soyez prêts, car le Fils de l'homme viendra à l'heure que vous ne penserez point.

41 Alors Pierre lui dit: Seigneur, est-ce pour nous que tu dis cette parabole, ou est-ce aussi pour tous?