Luke 12:35-36
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”
King James Version
More of Luke 12 on this siteLuke 12:8 · Luke 12:37-48
Jesus tells His disciples to be dressed and ready, lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to come home.
Fulfillment References
Luke 12:40 Matthew 25:1-13 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Revelation 16:15
How Traditions Read This Prophecy
Apostolic (Oneness) PentecostalReadiness is the whole point: loins girded, lights burning, the door opened 'immediately' when He knocks. The lights are the oil of the Spirit, as with the wise virgins who had oil in their vessels (Matt. 25:4). Those who are waiting are the ones He comes for: 'Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not' (Luke 12:40).
JewishNo traditional Jewish reading. Girded loins recall the Passover readiness of Exodus 12:11.
CatholicA call to vigilance, applied to the end of each life and to Christ's return.
ProtestantWatchful, active readiness for Christ's return at any time.
OrthodoxWatchfulness, a theme sung in the Bridegroom services of Holy Week.
DispensationalReadiness for the rapture, which could happen at any moment.
AcademicLuke's parable of the waiting servants. 'Return from the wedding' draws on Jewish wedding customs.
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Audio narration (listen to this prophecy read aloud), cross-references, Hebrew/Greek, Dead Sea Scrolls notes, a prophetic timeline, network maps, study tools and multi-tradition analysis in the interactive explorer.
Why it was written“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Peter told the first crowd how to begin: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
The new birth → · How to receive the Holy Ghost →
The new birth → · How to receive the Holy Ghost →
Bible Prophecy Explorer · based on J. Barton Payne’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy catalogue · an openly Apostolic (Oneness) Pentecostal study resource — all traditions presented fairly. Pastor: C. Myles Young, D.Min. · Bishop: Nathaniel J. Wilson, Ed.D.