Luke 12:39 (WEB)

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 allowed his house to be broken into.

Nearby Context

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them.

Luke 12:38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so.

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 allowed his house to be broken into.

Luke 12:40 Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

Luke 12:41 Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "master", "house", "known", "hour", "thief", "coming", "watched", and "allowed". 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 "They will be blessed if he comes..." into verse 40's "Therefore be ready also for the Son...", 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.