Luke 12:39 (ASV)

Passage

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.

Nearby Context

Luke 12:37 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 sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

Luke 12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find [them] so blessed are those [servants].

Luke 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.

Luke 12:40 Be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Luke 12:41 And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "master", "house", "known", "hour", "thief", "coming", "watched", and "left". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "master" and "house", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 38's "And if he shall come in the..." into verse 40's "Be ye also ready for in an...", so "master" and "house" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "master" and "house" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.