Luke 12:45

But if ¹  that ²  slave should say to himself, ³  ‘My master is delayed ⁴  in returning,’ and he begins to beat ⁵  the other ⁶  slaves, both men and women, ⁷  and to eat, drink, and get drunk,

Isa 56:10-12; Isa 65:6; Jer 20:2; Eze 12:22,27,28; Eze 34:3,4; Eze 34:8; Mt 22:6; Mt 24:48-50; Ro 16:18; 2Co 11:20; Php 3:18,19; 2Pe 2:3,4; 2Pe 2:13,19; 3Jo 1:9,10; Jude 1:12,13; Re 13:7-10,15-17; Re 16:6; Re 17:5,6; Re 18:7,8; Re 18:24

¹ tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).

² tn The term “that” (ἐκεῖνος, ekeino") is used as a catchword to list out, in the form of a number of hypothetical circumstances, what the possible responses of “that” servant could be. He could be faithful (vv. 43-44) or totally unfaithful (vv. 45-46). He does not complete his master’s will with knowledge (v. 47) or from ignorance (v 48). These differences are indicated by the different levels of punishment in vv. 46-48.

³ tn Grk “should say in his heart.”

⁴ tn Or “is taking a long time.”

⁵ sn The slave’s action in beginning to beat the other slaves was not only a failure to carry out what was commanded but involved doing the exact reverse.

⁶ tn The word “other” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

⁷ tn Grk “the menservants and the maidservants.” The term here, used in both masculine and feminine grammatical forms, is παῖς (pais), which can refer to a slave, but also to a slave who is a personal servant, and thus regarded kindly (L&N 87.77).