Luke 12:40 (WEB)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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?”

Luke 12:42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "ready", "coming", "hour", and "expect". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "ready", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 39's "But know this that if the master..." into verse 41's "Peter said to him Lord are you...", so "therefore" and "ready" 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 "therefore" and "ready" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.