Mark 13 · Verse 36

Mark 13:36

Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mark 13:36, King James Version

Mark 13:36 in other translations

BSBOtherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping.
WEBlest, coming suddenly, he might find you sleeping.
ASVlest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
YLTlest, having come suddenly, he may find you sleeping;
DARBYlest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
BBEFor fear that, coming suddenly, he sees you sleeping.
WebsterLest coming suddenly, he should find you sleeping.

What does Mark 13:36 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
36. Lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping--See on Lu 12:35-40; Lu 12:42-46.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 36. Find you sleeping. Inattentive to your post, neglecting your duty, and unprepared for his coming.

(v) "sleeping" Mt 25:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 36 He find you sleeping - A porter asleep exposes the house to be robbed, and well deserves punishment. No wonder that the man is constantly suffering loss who is frequently off his guard. Our Lord shows us in this parable: 1. That himself, ascended to heaven, is the man gone from home. 2. That believers collectively are his family. 3. That his servants are those who are employed in the work of faith and labor of love. 4. That the porter represents the ministers of his Gospel, who should continually watch for the safety and welfare of the whole flock. 5. That every one has his own work - that which belongs to himself and to none other, and for the accomplishment of which he receives sufficient strength from his Lord. 6. That these servants and porters shall give an account to their Lord, how they have exercised themselves in their respective departments. 7. And that as the master of the family will certainly come to require this account at a time when men are not aware, therefore they should be always watchful and faithful. And, 8. That this is a duty incumbent on every soul of man, What I say unto you, I say unto All, Watch! If, after all these warnings, the followers of God be found careless, their misery and condemnation must be great.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 13:28-37

We have the application of this prophetic sermon. As to the destruction of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly. As to the end of the world, do not inquire when it will come, for of that day and that hour knoweth no man. Christ, as God, could not be ignorant of anything; but the Divine wisdom which dwelt in our Saviour, communicated itself to his human soul according to the Divine pleasure. As to both, our duty…

Read the full comment on Mark 13:28-37 →

Mark 13:36 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μὴmēlestG3361
ἐλθὼνelthōnhaving comeG2064
ἐξαίφνηςexaiphnēssuddenlyG1810
εὕρῃheurēhe may findG2147
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
καθεύδοντας.katheudontassleeping.G2518

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 13:36

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7

    Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

  • Matthew 24:48-51

    But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Luke 21:34

    And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

  • Romans 13:11-14

    And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

  • Mark 14:40

    And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

  • Matthew 25:5

    While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

  • Proverbs 24:33-34

    Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

  • Mark 14:37

    And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

  • Isaiah 56:10

    His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

  • Song of Solomon 5:2

    I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

  • Luke 22:45

    And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

  • Proverbs 6:9-11

    How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he find.
14:37,40; Pr 6:9-11; 24:33,34; So 3:1; 5:2; Isa 56:10; Mt 24:48-51
Mt 25:5; Lu 21:34; 22:45; Ro 13:11-14; Eph 5:14; 1Th 5:6,7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 13:35

    Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

  • Mark 13:36

    Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

  • Mark 13:37

    And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Read all of Mark 13

Mark 13:36 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Porque cuando viniere de repente, no os halle durmiendo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
de peur qu’arrivant tout à coup, il ne vous trouve dormant.
German
Elberfelder 1871
damit er nicht, plötzlich kommend, euch schlafend finde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
ne, cum venerit repente, inveniat vos dormientes.