Luke 12:45 Meaning and Explanation
“But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and begins to beat the servants and to eat, drink, and be drunken—
What Does Luke 12:45 Mean?
Jesus darkens the parable with the other possibility. The same trusted steward reasons in his heart — my lord delayeth his coming — and the conclusion licenses cruelty and indulgence: blows for the menservants and maidens, feasting and drunkenness for himself. Nothing has changed but his estimate of the master's nearness.
Here is the anatomy of hidden unfaithfulness: it begins not with an act but with a thought about delay. Whenever the return of the Lord grows unreal to us, the people in our care begin to look like resources, and appetite takes the chair that stewardship should occupy. How we treat fellow servants in the unsupervised hours is the truest measure of what we believe about the Master.
Luke 12:45 in the Original Language
chronizo (χρονίζω), 'delayeth' -- to take a long time, to linger or delay.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 12:45
What does Luke 12:45 mean?
But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and begins to beat the servants and to eat, drink, and be drunken—