Discovery BoxLuke 12:38 
Context12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night 1 and finds them alert, 2 blessed are those slaves! 3
Luke 15:22
Context15:22 But the father said to his slaves, 4 ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, 5 and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger 6 and sandals 7 on his feet!
Luke 19:13
Context19:13 And he summoned ten of his slaves, 8 gave them ten minas, 9 and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’
1 sn The second or third watch of the night would be between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on a Roman schedule and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on a Jewish schedule. Luke uses the four-watch schedule of the Romans in Acts 12:4, so that is more probable here. Regardless of the precise times of the watches, however, it is clear that the late-night watches when a person is least alert are in view here.
2 tn Grk “finds (them) thus”; but this has been clarified in the translation by referring to the status (“alert”) mentioned in v. 37.
3 tn Grk “blessed are they”; the referent (the watchful slaves, v. 37) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
5 sn With the instructions Hurry! Bring the best robe, there is a total acceptance of the younger son back into the home.
6 tn Grk “hand”; but χείρ (ceir) can refer to either the whole hand or any relevant part of it (L&N 8.30).
7 sn The need for sandals underlines the younger son’s previous destitution, because he was barefoot.
8 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
9 sn That is, one for each. A mina was a Greek monetary unit worth one hundred denarii or about four months’ wages for an average worker based on a six-day work week.
