Matthew 24:48
◄  Matthew 24:48  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,'

New Living Translation (©2007)
But what if the servant is evil and thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,'

English Standard Version (©2001)
But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,'

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
But if that wicked slave says in his heart, My master is delayed,'

International Standard Version (©2012)
"But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master has been delayed,'

NET Bible (©2006)
But if that evil slave should say to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,'

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But if an evil servant will say in his heart, “My Lord delays to come”,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
On the other hand, that servant, if he is wicked, may think that it will be a long time before his master comes.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming;

American King James Version
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming;

American Standard Version
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:

Darby Bible Translation
But if that evil bondman should say in his heart, My lord delays to come,

English Revised Version
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth;

Webster's Bible Translation
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming;

Weymouth New Testament
But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,'

World English Bible
But if that evil servant should say in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming,'

Young's Literal Translation
'And, if that evil servant may say in his heart, My Lord doth delay to come,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:42-51 To watch for Christ's coming, is to maintain that temper of mind which we would be willing that our Lord should find us in. We know we have but a little time to live, we cannot know that we have a long time to live; much less do we know the time fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. If a man, professing to be the servant of Christ, be an unbeliever, covetous, ambitious, or a lover of pleasure, he will be cut off. Those who choose the world for their portion in this life, will have hell for their portion in the other life. May our Lord, when he cometh, pronounce us blessed, and present us to the Father, washed in his blood, purified by his Spirit, and fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 48. - But and if (ἐὰν δὲ). "And" is a remnant of an old use of the word, meaning "it'," so that it is here redundant, and the translation should he simply, but if; si autem. That evil servant (ὁ κακὸς δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος) is in a sense the same as he who, in ver. 45, was regarded as faithful and prudent. The opposite case is here put; he is supposed to be wicked and untrustworthy; he no longer is always watching for his lord's coming and endeavouring to be always ready, because he knows that he may at any moment be called to account. My lord delayeth [his coming]. B, א, and other good manuscripts omit ἐλθεῖν as unnecessary. Revised Version, my lord tarrieth, he brings himself to believe that the day of reckoning is still distant, and that he will have plenty of time to prepare his accounts before the settlement is called for. So men put off the day of repentance, saying, "Tomorrow, tomorrow," when they ought to feel that the present alone is theirs in which to prepare for judgment.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But and if that evil servant,.... Or should there be an evil servant, an unwise and faithless one, who though he may have gifts and talents, yet destitute of the grace of God; and though he may be in the highest post and office in the church of God for sometimes wicked and graceless men are in such places; yet if he

shall say in his heart; secretly to himself, and with pleasure to his mind, and strengthen himself in a full persuasion of this,

my Lord delayeth his coming; and begins to think that either he will not come at all, to call him to an account for the use of his time, gifts, and talents; or if he does, it will be long first ere he will come, and visit the people of the Jews, by desolating calamities; or by death, to summon him to his bar; or at judgment, to give in his account of his stewardship.

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Be Ready at Any Hour
…47Truly I say to you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; …

Matthew 24:47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Matthew 24:49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
Luke 12:45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
2 Peter 3:4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."