No One Knows the Day: Be Watchful
Mark 13:32-37
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Mark.13.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Περι: PREP
- δε: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εκεινης: PRON,gen,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ωρας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ουδεις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- οιδεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- αγγελοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- ουρανω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πατηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 24:36 (verbal): Nearly identical wording in the Sermon on the Mount's eschatological discourse: no one knows the day or hour—not the angels nor the Son, but only the Father (direct Synoptic parallel).
- Luke 12:40 (verbal): Declares that the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect; shares the theme and some verbal similarity about the unexpected timing and the call to readiness.
- Acts 1:7 (allusion): Jesus tells the apostles that it is not for them to know the times or seasons the Father has fixed by his own authority—echoes Mark's claim that only the Father knows the hour.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (thematic): Paul's statement that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night parallels Mark's emphasis on the sudden, unforeseen arrival of 'that day or hour.'
Alternative generated candidates
- But as for that day or that hour, no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father.
- But as for that day or hour, no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son—only the Father.
Mark.13.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- βλεπετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- αγρυπνειτε: VERB,pres,act,imper,2,pl
- ουκ: PART,neg
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- γαρ: PART
- ποτε: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- καιρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εστιν·: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 24:42 (verbal): Very close synoptic parallel — an explicit injunction to 'keep watch' because the day of the Lord's coming is unknown.
- Matthew 25:13 (verbal): Final admonition of the Ten Virgins parable: 'Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour,' reinforcing the same theme of vigilant preparedness.
- Luke 12:35-40 (thematic): Parable of ready servants awaiting the master's unexpected return; emphasizes staying dressed and alert because the hour is unknown.
- Luke 21:34-36 (verbal): Luke's version of the eschatological warnings includes 'be on your guard' and 'stay awake'—the same call to vigilance against being overtaken by an unknown time.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (thematic): Paul adopts the watchfulness motif—'let us be awake and sober'—calling believers to spiritual alertness in view of the coming day of the Lord.
Alternative generated candidates
- Watch! Watch! For you do not know when the time will come.
- Be on your guard; keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
Mark.13.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ως: ADV
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αποδημος: ADJ,gen,sg,m
- αφεις: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- οικιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- δους: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- δουλοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εκαστω: ADJ,dat,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- εργον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θυρωρω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ενετειλατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- ινα: CONJ
- γρηγορη: VERB,pres,act,sub,2,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 25:14 (verbal): 'A man going on a journey... entrusted his property to his servants'—almost identical motif and wording of a master leaving servants responsible during his absence.
- Matthew 24:45-51 (structural): Parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant—emphasis on being watchful and accountable for the work given until the master's unexpected return, paralleling the doorkeeper's charge to be alert.
- Luke 12:35-40 (thematic): Calls for servants to be ready and keep watch because the Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour—echoes the command to the doorkeeper to stay awake.
- Luke 19:12 (verbal): Parable of the minas: a man goes into a distant country to receive a kingdom and entrusts servants with authority—closely parallels the image of leaving house and giving authority to servants.
Alternative generated candidates
- It is like a man going away who, leaving his house, placed his servants in charge, assigned to each his task, and ordered the doorkeeper to keep watch.
- It is like a man who goes away to his country house and leaves his servants in charge, giving to each his task and commanding the doorkeeper to keep watch.
Mark.13.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- γρηγορειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- ουν: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- γαρ: PART
- ποτε: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- οικιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- οψε: ADV
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- μεσονυκτιον: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αλεκτοροφωνιας: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- πρωι: ADV
Parallels
- Matthew 24:42-44 (verbal): Near-verbatim Synoptic parallel: same injunction to keep watch because you do not know when the master/Lord will come; similar language about unexpected timing.
- Matthew 25:13 (verbal): Climactic admonition of the Ten Virgins parable: 'Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour,' echoing Mark's uncertainty and call to vigilance.
- Luke 12:35-40 (structural): Servant/watch imagery and readiness for the master's return; verse 40 explicitly recalls the unexpected hour and the need to be ready, paralleling Mark's warning.
- Luke 21:34-36 (thematic): Call to watchfulness and prayer to escape coming tribulation; uses the same imperative to 'be on the alert' (γρηγορεῖτε) and anticipatory eschatological concern.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 (allusion): Paul's eschatological language ('day of the Lord will come like a thief') and exhortation to be awake and sober reflect the same theme of unexpected coming and the imperative to watch.
Alternative generated candidates
- Watch therefore; for you do not know when the master of the house will come—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at the crowing of the rooster, or at dawn.
- Therefore be watchful—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrow, or in the morning.
Mark.13.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μη: PART
- ελθων: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- εξαιφνης: ADV
- ευρη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- καθευδοντας·: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 24:43 (verbal): Uses the thief/householder imagery and the need for watchfulness against an unexpected coming—closely parallels Mark’s warning not to be found sleeping.
- Matthew 24:44 (thematic): Concludes the Olivet discourse with the exhortation to be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect, echoing Mark’s sudden-coming motif.
- Luke 12:39-40 (verbal): Contains the same thief/householder example and the explicit command to be ready, warning that the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect—direct synoptic parallel.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 (thematic): Paul develops the same eschatological metaphor: the Lord comes like a thief in the night, and believers are urged not to sleep but to stay awake and sober.
- Revelation 3:3 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language: a call to watchfulness with the warning that failure to watch means Christ will come like a thief and the hour will be unknown—an explicit warning about being found unprepared.
Alternative generated candidates
- May he not come suddenly and find any of them asleep.
- If he comes suddenly and finds them sleeping, he will rebuke them, shut them out, and assign them their portion with the unfaithful; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mark.13.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- πασιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- λεγω·γρηγορειτε: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg;VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 24:42 (verbal): Same Olivet-Discourse imperative—'Keep watch' (γρηγορειτε) as a concluding exhortation to readiness for the Lord's coming.
- Matthew 25:13 (verbal): Parallel watch-command in the Parable of the Ten Virgins: 'Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.' (emphasis on vigilance)
- Luke 21:36 (verbal): Lukan parallel to Mark's conclusion: an explicit exhortation to 'stay awake at all times' in the Lukan version of the eschatological discourse.
- Luke 12:40 (thematic): Parable of the faithful servant—theme of readiness and unexpected arrival of the master, echoing the call to watch and be prepared.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (thematic): A Pauline echo of the watch motif: 'So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake,' applying Jesus' vigilance language to Christian conduct.
Alternative generated candidates
- What I say to you I say to all: Keep watch.
- And what I say to you I say to all: Keep watch.
But as to that day or hour, no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son—only the Father.
Watch therefore; keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man going away: he gave his servants authority over his household, to each his task, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
Watch therefore—because you do not know when the master of the house will come, whether in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrow, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.
Watch.