{The thief} (ho klept(8873)). The change here almost makes a
new parable to illustrate the other, the parable of the
housebreaking (verses  39,40 ) to illustrate the parable of the
waiting servants ( 35-38 ). This same language appears in  Mt
24:43f . "The Master returning from a wedding is replaced by a
thief whose study it is to come to the house he means to plunder
at an unexpected time" (Bruce). The parallel in  Mt 24:43-51 
with  Lu 12:39-46  does not have the interruption by Peter. {He
would have watched} (egr(8867)or(8873)en an). Apodosis of second-class
condition, determined as unfulfilled, made plain by use of an
with aorist indicative which is not repeated with ouk aph(886b)en
(first aorist active indicative of aphi(886d)i, k aorist), though
it is sometimes repeated ( Mt 24:43 ).