Luke 12:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

NIV: Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

NASB: Be prepared, and keep your lamps lit.

CSB: "Be ready for service and have your lamps lit.

NLT: Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,

KJV: Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

NKJV: “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

Considering the coming fulfillment of God's kingdom, Jesus told the disciples what they should not prioritize. Those ideas include earthly honor, extending one's lifespan, wealth, and worry about daily needs (Luke 12:1–34). Now, He explains what His followers should prioritize.

Jesus has spoken about "light" and "lamps" before. In Luke 8:16–17 and 12:2–3, He uses the metaphor of lamp and light to talk about truths and secrets that will be revealed. Here, it refers to the intent to make the light needed to stay alert when everyone else is spiritually asleep. Literally, Jesus is talking about servants whose master is away at a wedding feast (Luke 12:36). They do not know when he will return, but they must stay awake and ready to receive and serve him. In a similar way, Jesus is calling His follower to stay alert and ready for His return.

"Stay dressed" literally means to have a girded waist—to "gird your loins." Men generally wore long tunics down to their calves or longer. If they needed more dexterity to do hard labor or fight, they would gather their skirt in the front, pass it to the back, gather the fabric into two tails, bring the tails around each side, and tie them in the front. Jesus is not telling the disciples to continually walk around with their tunics tied up. He's using a metaphor that means they should be prepared.

Jesus uses the idea of a burning light at night in several other illustrations. Most applicable is the parable of the ten virgins. Ten virgins wait for the bridegroom to collect them for his wedding. Five are not prepared and run out of oil for their lamps. Like the master whose servants do not keep lamps lit for him, the bridegroom is disappointed (Matthew 25:1–13).

Luke 12:35–40 explains that those who wish to live in God's kingdom need to be ready for its arrival. Jesus has told His disciples to hold their integrity more tightly than their lives (Luke 12:1–12). He has taught them to not worry about wealth or even the necessities of life. Instead, they should trust God for their needs while they wait like servants for their master's return (Luke 12:13–34). Next, He explains that leaders in God's kingdom will have even more responsibilities (Luke 12:41–48). Matthew and Mark also touch on the theme (Matthew 24:43–44; 25:1–12; Mark 13:34–37).

Jesus teaches the disciples about proper priorities. This includes recognizing that God knows all things, even secrets. Believers should honor God more than they fear death, or than they worry about things like food and clothes. Christians are to remain ready for Christ's return, even as faith separates those who believe from those who do not. These ideas revolve around the central theme of verse 34: that a person's heart reflects what they value most.

Luke 12:1—13:9 compares the world with the kingdom of God. Jesus has condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54). He now instructs His disciples to reject the fame and security that Pharisees crave, and hold lightly to their lives, wealth, security, and even family. He then warns the crowd to be wise about their relationships with other people and with God. The next two units each include a miracle and teaching on God's kingdom and salvation (Luke 13:10—15:32). Then the final section in the "travelogue" repeats that three-unit pattern (Luke 16:1—19:27) before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.