Luke 12:47-48

As they read in the KJV.

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

I've cited these verses as evidence that Believers will be punished more then Unbelievers which in turn backs up the Doctrine of Universal Salvation.  But I read recently a typical Evangelical site that quoted these passages as if they are only about Unbelievers.  And I was simply scratching my head.

First of all any reference to the Punishments not being the same weakens the notion that Endless Torment is the minimum sentence regardless of who is who allegorically.

Secondly, the modern world may have a lot of Unbelievers who've read a lot of The Bible and so intellectually know what it says.  But if they don't believe, then they don't "Know" it's The Lord's Will.

And if anything, if you want to say both categories in this passage are more specific then all of Humanity.  Other passages in the New Testament imply only Believers can be called God's Servants.  And there are plenty of passages that have had me contemplate that perhaps God will only punish Believers and that he won't hold people Jesus died for to rules they never agreed to follow.  But I'm hesitant to go all the way with that.

The verse before these verses, verse 46, says.

The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Perhaps this website I read was made by people who don't believe in Eternal Security, and see this as referring to fallen Believers being treated as Unbelievers.  But Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 assures us that even the most failed of Believers are still saved.

There is no getting around the Universal Salvation implications of what Jesus taught here.  The last verse of chapter 12, paralleling a passage from Matthew 5, is clear that Punishment is finite not infinite.