Matthew 24:48

Literal Standard Version

And if that evil servant may say in his heart, My lord delays to come,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’

King James Version (1611)
But and if that euill seruant shal say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his comming,

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

English Standard Version
But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,'

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

New Century Version
But suppose that evil servant thinks to himself, ‘My master will not come back soon,'

Amplified Bible
"But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, 'My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],'

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

Legacy Standard Bible
But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,'

Berean Standard Bible
But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, 'My master will be away a long time.'

Contemporary English Version
But suppose one of the servants thinks that the master won't return until late.

Complete Jewish Bible
But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time';

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

Easy-to-Read Version
"But what will happen if that servant is evil and thinks his master will not come back soon?

Geneva Bible (1587)
But if that euil seruant shal say in his heart, My master doth deferre his comming,

George Lamsa Translation
But if a bad servant should say in his heart, My lord will delay his coming,

Good News Translation
But if he is a bad servant, he will tell himself that his master will not come back for a long time,

Lexham English Bible
But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away for a long time,'

Literal Translation
But if that wicked slave says in his heart, My Lord delays to come,

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

Bible in Basic English
But if that evil servant says in his heart, My lord is a long time in coming;

Hebrew Names Version
But if that evil servant should say in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming,'

International Standard Version
"But if that wicked servant says to himself,in his heart">[fn] 'My master has been delayed,'

Etheridge Translation
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord withholdeth to come;

Murdock Translation
But if that servant, being wicked, shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But and yf that euyll seruaunt say in his heart, my Lorde wyll be long a commyng:

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

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

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But if that evil servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming:

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But if thilke yuel seruaunt seie in his herte, My lord tarieth to come,

Update Bible Version
But if that evil slave shall say in his heart, My lord tarries;

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

New English Translation
But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,'

New King James Version
But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' [fn]

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

New Life Bible
But if that servant is bad, he will think, ‘The owner will not come soon.'

New Revised Standard
But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, if that wicked servant should say in his heart - My master, delayeth,

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

Revised Standard Version
But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But and yf that evill servaut shall saye in his herte my master wyll defer his comynge

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But and yf the euell seruaut shal saye in his hert: Tush, it wil be longe or my lorde come,

Mace New Testament (1729)
but if he be dishonest, and says to himself, my Lord delays coming,

THE MESSAGE
"But if that person only looks out for himself, and the minute the Master is away does what he pleases—abusing the help and throwing drunken parties for his friends—the Master is going to show up when he least expects it and make hash of him. He'll end up in the dump with the hypocrites, out in the cold shivering, teeth chattering."

Simplified Cowboy Version
But what about the cowboy out there in that far line camp that thinks nobody is watchin'?

Contextual Overview

³²And from the fig tree learn the allegory: when its branch may have already become tender, and it may put forth the leaves, you know that summer [is] near, ³³so also you, when you may see all these, you know that it is near—at the doors. ³⁴Truly I say to you, this generation may not pass away until all these may come to pass. ³⁵The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. ³⁶And concerning that day and the hour no one has known—not even the messengers of the heavens—except My Father only; ³⁷and as the days of Noah—so will also be the coming of the Son of Man; ³⁸for as they were, in the days before the flood, eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the Ark, ³⁹and they did not know until the flood came and took all away, so will also be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰Then two [men] will be in the field: one is received, and one is left; ⁴¹two [women] will be grinding in the mill: one is received, and one is left.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if: Matthew 18:32, Matthew 25:26, Luke 19:22

say: Deuteronomy 9:4, Deuteronomy 15:9, 2 Kings 5:26, Isaiah 32:6, Mark 7:21, Luke 12:45, John 13:2, Acts 5:3, Acts 8:22

My: Ecclesiastes 8:11, Ezekiel 12:22, Ezekiel 12:27, 2 Peter 3:3-5

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:1 - we wot Psalms 10:6 - said Psalms 125:5 - with the workers Proverbs 7:19 - he Ezekiel 12:28 - There shall Ezekiel 34:2 - Woe Amos 6:3 - put Matthew 10:23 - till Matthew 25:5 - the Matthew 25:19 - a long Mark 13:36 - he find Luke 12:20 - God Romans 2:4 - despisest Romans 13:13 - rioting Romans 16:18 - but 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use Ephesians 6:9 - knowing Philippians 4:5 - The Colossians 4:1 - ye Hebrews 4:1 - any 1 Peter 5:8 - sober Revelation 2:5 - else

Cross-References

Genesis 22:23
and Bethuel has begotten Rebekah"; Milcah has borne these eight to Nahor, Abraham's brother;

Genesis 24:5
And the servant says to him, "It may be the woman is not willing to come after me to this land; do I at all cause your son to return to the land from where you came out?"

Genesis 24:6
And Abraham says to him, "Take heed to yourself lest you cause my son to return there;

Genesis 24:26
And the man bows, and pays respect to YHWH,

Genesis 24:27
and says, "Blessed [is] YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has not left off His kindness and His truth with my lord—I [being] in the way, YHWH has led me to the house of my lord's brothers."

Genesis 24:52
And it comes to pass, when the servant of Abraham has heard their words, that he bows himself toward the earth before YHWH;

Exodus 18:20
and you have warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws, and have made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

Ezra 8:21
And I proclaim there a fast, by the river Ahava, to afflict ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a right way for us, and for our infants, and for all our substance,

Psalms 32:8
I cause you to act wisely, || And direct you in the way that you go, || I cause My eye to take counsel concerning you.

Psalms 48:14
That this God [is] our God—For all time and forever, || He leads us over death!

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This passage is, in fact, “a parable,” though it is not expressly so called. The design is to show that his disciples should act as if they were each moment expecting his return. This he illustrates by the conduct of a servant who did not expect his master soon to return, who acted with great impropriety, and who was accordingly punished.

Matthew 24:45

Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant ... - By the conduct of a faithful and wise servant Jesus intends to denote a faithful Christian, a servant of God, or a teacher of religion.

Whom his lord - His master.

The word here has no reference to God. It means the “lord” or master of the servant. Applied to Christian teachers, in the spiritual meaning of the parable, it refers to “Christ,” who has appointed them as teachers, and who is their Lord and Master, John 13:13-14.

Over his household - His family. Christian ministers are the servants of God appointed over the church, the family of Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Corinthians 3:5; 1Co 4:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Meat in due season - The word “meat” here means food of all kinds. When the Bible was translated into English, the word included, as the original does, all kinds of provisions requisite to support and nourish life.

In due season - As they need it, or in the accustomed times. This was the office of a steward. Among the ancients this office was often filled by a “slave” - one who had shown himself trusty and faithful. The duty was to have a general superintendence over the affairs of the family. Applied to Christian ministers, it means that they are to feed the flock of God, to “minister” to their needs, and to do it as they need it, John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2.

Matthew 24:47

Shall make him ruler ... - Shall confirm his appointment over his household, and, as a reward, shall place him over all his property.

This does not mean that ministers will have a higher rank or office, but is a circumstance of “the parable” or story, designed to show the effect of faithfulness. Faithful servants of Christ shall be rewarded. This will be done by His approbation, and by the rewards of the heavenly world.

Matthew 24:48

That evil servant - If that servant, so appointed, having this office, should be evil or wicked.

Say in his heart - Secretly suppose.

Delayeth his coming - Will not return in a long time; or does not return as soon as was expected, and perhaps may not at all.

Matthew 24:49

Smite his fellow-servants ... - This is the conduct of a wicked servant, who, supposing he would not be called to account, and abusing his authority, gave himself up to oppression, carousing, and debauchery.

It is designed to represent the conduct of ministers who are unfaithful and overbearing, and who abuse their trust in the church.

Matthew 24:51

Shall cut him asunder - This kind of punishment was anciently practiced.

Sometimes it was done by the sword. sometimes by saws. It was practiced among the Chaldeans Daniel 2:5; Daniel 3:29, and among the Hebrews, 2 Samuel 12:31; 1Sa 15:33; 1 Kings 3:25; Hebrews 11:37. It was also practiced by the Egyptians and Romans. It is not, perhaps, here to be taken literally, but signifies that the wicked servant should be severely punished.

Hypocrites - See the notes at Matthew 6:2. They are spoken of here as the worst of people.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth - See the notes at Matthew 8:12-13. The unfaithful and wicked minister of God, who lives without expectation or fear of judgment, shall suffer the severest punishment inflicted on sinners in the world of woe.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 24:48. But, and if that evil servant — Here are three characters of a bad minister.

1. He has little or no faith in the speedy coming of Christ, either to punish for wickedness, or to pardon and sanctify those who believe. It may be, he does not outwardly profess this, but he says it in his heart, and God searches his heart, and knows that he professes to teach what he does not believe.

2. He governs with an absolute dominion, oppressing his colleagues and doing violence to the followers of Christ. And shall begin to smite, &c.

3. He leads an irregular life does not love the company of the children of God, but eats and drinks with the drunkards, preferring the tables of the great and the rich, whose god is their belly, and thus feeds himself without fear. Great God! save thine inheritance from being ravaged by such wolves!