MAT 24:36-51

Readiness at Any Hour

36Concerning that very day and hour, no one knows — not even the angels of the heavens, nor the Son — except my Father alone. [24:37] For just as the days of Noah were, so will be the presence of the Son of Man. [24:38] For as they were in those days before the flood — eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage — until the day Noah entered the ark, [24:39] and they did not know until the flood came and took away all — thus will be also the presence of the Son of Man. [24:40] Then two will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. [24:41] Two women grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. [24:42] Keep watch, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes. [24:43] But know this: that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief comes, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. [24:44] Because of this, also you yourselves be ready; for in the hour you do not expect, the Son of Man comes. [24:45] Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food in season? [24:46] Blessed is that slave whom his master, having come, will find thus doing. [24:47] Amen I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. [24:48] But if that wicked slave says in his heart, 'My master is delayed,' [24:49] and begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with the drunkards, [24:50] the master of that slave will come on a day he does not expect and in an hour he does not know, [24:51] and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the hypocrites — weeping and grinding of teeth will be there.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Roman Empire, the concept of (coming) would evoke the arrival of a ruler or dignitary, often accompanied by preparations and expectations of accountability. The imagery of Noah’s days reflects a Jewish cultural memory of sudden, catastrophic judgment, contrasting the obliviousness of the people with Noah’s readiness. The (master of the house) was a figure of authority responsible for managing slaves, resources, and the household’s welfare. Slaves were property, not employees, and their loyalty or negligence had severe consequences. The warning against (hypocrites) draws on the theatrical metaphor of actors playing a role, emphasizing the danger of performative deception rather than genuine faithfulness. Jesus’ audience, familiar with Roman household structures and Jewish eschatological expectations, would hear this as a call to vigilance and integrity in light of an imminent, unpredictable divine intervention.

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How other translations render this

MAT 24:36

KJV: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
BSB: No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Koinōnos: Concerning that very day and hour, no one knows — not even the angels of the heavens, nor the Son — except my Father alone.

MAT 24:37

KJV: But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
BSB: As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Koinōnos: For just as the days of Noah were, so will be the presence of the Son of Man.

MAT 24:38

KJV: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
BSB: For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
Koinōnos: For as they were in those days before the flood — eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage — until the day Noah entered the ark,

MAT 24:39

KJV: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
BSB: And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Koinōnos: and they did not know until the flood came and took away all — thus will be also the presence of the Son of Man.

MAT 24:40

KJV: Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
BSB: Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Koinōnos: Then two will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.

MAT 24:41

KJV: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
BSB: Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Koinōnos: Two women grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.

MAT 24:42

KJV: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
BSB: Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
Koinōnos: Keep watch, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes.

MAT 24:43

KJV: But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
BSB: But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Koinōnos: But know this: that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief comes, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

MAT 24:44

KJV: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
BSB: For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Koinōnos: Because of this, also you yourselves be ready; for in the hour you do not expect, the Son of Man comes.

MAT 24:45

KJV: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
BSB: Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
Koinōnos: Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food in season?

MAT 24:46

KJV: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
BSB: Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
Koinōnos: Blessed is that slave whom his master, having come, will find thus doing.

MAT 24:47

KJV: Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
BSB: Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Koinōnos: Amen I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

MAT 24:48

KJV: But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
BSB: But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
Koinōnos: But if that wicked slave says in his heart, 'My master is delayed,

MAT 24:49

KJV: And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
BSB: And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
Koinōnos: and begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

MAT 24:50

KJV: The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
BSB: The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.
Koinōnos: the master of that slave will come on a day he does not expect and in an hour he does not know,

MAT 24:51

KJV: And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
BSB: Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Koinōnos: and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the hypocrites — weeping and grinding of teeth will be there.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MAT 24:37

the:The word translated 'coming' here refers to a 'presence' or 'arrival' that has already begun and continues, not just a single event of appearing.

MAT 24:43

master of the house:The term 'master of the house' refers to the head of the household, who had authority over all its members and affairs, including servants and property.

MAT 24:45

servant:The word translated 'servant' here specifically means a 'slave' or 'bondservant'—someone who was legally owned and had no personal rights, rather than a hired employee.

MAT 24:51

hypocrites:The word translated 'hypocrites' originally referred to an actor on a stage, someone who played a part and pretended to be someone they were not.