A thief (in the night).

Matthew 24.43-44 = Luke 12.39-40.

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Notes and quotes.

Περι δε των χρονων και των καιρων, αδελφοι, ου χρειαν εχετε υμιν γραφεσθαι, αυτοι γαρ ακριβως οιδατε οτι ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης εν νυκτι ουτως ερχεται. οταν λεγωσιν· Ειρηνη και ασφαλεια, τοτε αιφνιδιος αυτοις εφισταται ολεθρος ωσπερ η ωδιν τη εν γαστρι εχουση, και ου μη εκφυγωσιν. υμεις δε, αδελφοι, ουκ εστε εν σκοτει, ινα η ημερα υμας ως κλεπτης καταλαβη, παντες γαρ υμεις υιοι φωτος εστε και υιοι ημερας. ουκ εσμεν νυκτος ουδε σκοτους· αρα ουν μη καθευδωμεν ως οι λοιποι, αλλα γρηγορωμεν και νηφωμεν.

But about the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need for us to write. For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord will come thus, as a thief in the night. When they say: Peace and security, then suddenly destruction will come upon them like the birth pang upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that the day should overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of day. You are not of night, not of darkness. So then let us not sleep as the rest, but let us be awake and sober.

§ 2 Peter 3.10:

Ηξει δε ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης, εν η οι ουρανοι ροιζηδον παρελευσονται, στοιχεια δε καυσουμενα λυθησεται, και γη και τα εν αυτη εργα ευρεθησεται.*

* The reading of the Alexandrian text. Other manuscripts have ουχ ευρεθησεται, ευρεθησεται λυομενα, κατακαησεται, or αφανισθησονται. Some manuscripts omit και γη... ευρεθησεται entirely.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be dissolved burning, and the earth and its works will be found [or burned up].

§ John in Revelation 3.3b:

Εαν ουν μη γρηγορησης, ηξω ως κλεπτης, και ου μη γνως ποιαν ωραν ηξω επι σε.

If you do not wake up, I shall come as a thief, and you will not know at what hour I shall come upon you.

Revelation 16.15:

Ιδου, ερχομαι ως κλεπτης. μακαριος ο γρηγορων και τηρων τα ιματια αυτου, ινα μη γυμνος περιπατη και βλεπωσιν την ασχημοσυνην αυτου.

Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk around naked and men see his shame.

§ From Thomas 21:

ΔΙΑΤΟΥΤΟ ϮϪΩ Μ̅ΜΟC ϪΕ ΕϤϢΑΕΙΜΕ Ν̅ϬΙΠϪΕCϨΝ̅ΗΕΙ ϪΕ ϤΝΗΥ Ν̅ϬΙΠΡΕϤϪΙΟΥΕ ϤΝΑΡΟΕΙC ΕΜΠΑΤΕϤΕΙ Ν̅ϤΤΜ̅ΚΑΑϤ ΕϢΟϪΤ ΕϨΟΥΝ ΕΠΕϤΗΕΙ Ν̅ΤΕΤΕϤΜΝ̅ΤΕΡΟ ΕΤΡΕϤϤΙ Ν̅ΝΕϤCΚΕΥΟC Ν̅ΤΩΤΝ̅ ΔΕ ΡΟΕΙC ϨΑΤΕϨΗ Μ̅ΠΚΟCΜΟC ΜΟΥΡ Μ̅ΜΩΤΝ̅ ΕϪΝ̅ΝΕΤΝ̅ϮΠΕ ϨΝ̅ΝΟΥΝΟϬ Ν̅ΔΥΝΑΜΙC ϢΙΝΑ ϪΕ ΝΕΝΛΗCΤΗC ϨΕ ΕϨΙΗ ΕΕΙ ϢΑΡΩΤΝ̅ ΕΠΕΙ ΤΕΧΡΕΙΑ ΕΤΕΤΝ̅ϬΩϢΤ ΕΒΟΛ ϨΗΤC̅ CΕΝΑϨΕ ΕΡΟC ΜΑΡΕϤϢΩΠΕ ϨΝ̅ΤΕΤΝ̅ΜΗΤΕ Ν̅ϬΙΟΥΡΩΜΕ Ν̅ΕΠΙCΤΗΜΩΝ.

Therefore I say: If the master of the house knows that the thief is coming, he will keep watch before he comes, and will not let him dig into his house of his kingdom to carry off his vessels. You, then, be watchful over against the world. Gird up your loins with great strength, that the thieves may not find a way to come at you, since the advantage for which you look they will find. May there be among you a man of understanding!

Thomas 103:

ΠΕϪΕ Ι̅C̅ ϪΕ ΟΥΜΑΚΑΡΙΟC ΠΕ ΠΡΩΜΕ ΠΑΕΙ ΕΤCΟΟΥΝ ϪΕ Ϩ[Ν̅ΑϢ] Μ̅ΜΕΡΟC ΕΝΛΗCΤΗC ΝΗΥ ΕϨΟΥΝ ϢΙΝΑ [ΕϤΝ]ΑΤΩΟΥΝ Ν̅ϤCΩΟΥϨ Ν̅ΤΕϤΜΝ̅Τ̅[ΕΡΟ] ΑΥΩ Ν̅ϤΜΟΥΡ Μ̅ΜΟϤ ΕϪΝ̅ΤΕϤϮΠΕ [ϨΑ]ΤΕϨΗ ΕΜΠΑΤΟΥΕΙ ΕϨΟΥΝ.
Jesus said: Blessed is the man who knows in what part the thieves are coming, that he may rise and gather his kingdom and gird up his loins before they come in.