21 Bible Verses about Hospitality, A Duty Of God's People
Most Relevant Verses
Do not neglect to show hospitality; for, through being hospitable, men have all unawares entertained angels.
When he had washed their feet, and had put on his upper garments and taken his place, he spoke to them again. "Do you understand what I have been doing to you?" he asked. "You yourselves call me 'the Teacher' and 'the Master', and you are right, for I am both. If I, then--'the Master' and 'the Teacher'--have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet;read more.
For I have given you an example, so that you may do just as I have done to you.
Relieving the wants of Christ's People; devoted to hospitality.
The Presiding-Officer should be a man of blameless character; a faithful husband; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skillful teacher,
A widow, when her name is added to the list, should not be less than sixty years old; she should have been a faithful wife, and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.
On the contrary, he should be hospitable, eager for the right discreet, upright, a man of holy life and capable of self-restraint,
For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes;
Then Jesus went on to say to the man who had invited him: "When you give a breakfast or a dinner, do not ask your friends, or your brothers, or your relations, or rich neighbors, for fear that they should invite you in return, and so you should be repaid. No, when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; And then you will be happy indeed, since they cannot recompense you; for you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the good."
Suppose a man should enter your Synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes, And you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say--"There is a good seat for you here," but to the poor man--"You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool," Is not that to make distinctions among yourselves, and show yourselves prejudiced judges?
I commend to your care our Sister, Phoebe, who helps in the work of the Church at Cenchreae; And I ask you to give her a Christian welcome--one worthy of Christ's People--and to aid her in any matter in which she may need your assistance. She has proved herself a staunch friend to me and to many others.
My fellow-prisoner, Aristarchus, sends you his greeting, and Barnabas's cousin, Mark, sends his. (You have received directions about him. If he comes to you, make him welcome.)
I am standing at the door and knocking! If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in, and will feast with him, and he shall feast with me.
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables. "The Kingdom of Heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who gave a banquet in honor of his son's wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the banquet, but they were unwilling to come.read more.
A second time he sent some servants, with orders to say to those who had been invited 'I have prepared my breakfast, my cattle and fat beasts are killed and everything is ready; come to the banquet.' They, however, took no notice, but went off, one to his farm, another to his business; While the rest, seizing his servants, ill-treated them and killed them. The king, in anger, sent his troops, put those murderers to death, and set their city on fire. Then he said to his servants 'The banquet is prepared, but those who were invited were not worthy. So go to the cross-roads, and invite everyone you find to the banquet.' The servants went out into the roads and collected all the people whom they found, whether bad or good; and the bridal-hall was filled with guests. But, when the king went in to see his guests, he noticed there a man who had not put on a wedding-robe. So he said to him 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants 'Tie him hand and foot, and 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.' For many are called, but few chosen."
One of the guests heard what he said and exclaimed: "Happy will he be who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!" But Jesus said to him: "A man was once giving a great dinner. He invited many people, And sent his servant, when it was time for the dinner, to say to those who had been invited 'Come, for everything is now ready.'read more.
They all with one accord began to ask to be excused. The first man said to the servant 'I have bought a field and am obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to consider me excused.' The next said 'I have bought five pairs of bullocks, and I am on my way to try them. I must ask you to consider me excused'; While the next said 'I am just married, and for that reason I am unable to come.' On his return the servant told his master all these answers. Then in anger the owner of the house said to his servant 'Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.' Presently the servant said 'Sir, your order has been carried out, and still there is room.' 'Go out,' the master said, 'into the roads and hedgerows, and make people come in, so that my house may be filled; For I tell you all that not one of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'"
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there, known by the name of Zacchaeus, who was a commissioner of taxes and a rich man. He tried to see what Jesus was like; but, being short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd.read more.
So he ran on ahead and climbed into a mulberry tree, to see Jesus, for he knew that he must pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him: "Zacchaeus, be quick and come down, for I must stop at your house to-day." So Zacchaeus got down quickly, and joyfully welcomed him. On seeing this, every one began to complain: "He has gone to stay with a man who is an outcast." But Zacchaeus stood forward and said to the Master: "Listen, Master! I will give half my property to the poor, and, if I have defrauded any one of anything, I will give him back four times as much." "Salvation has come to this house to-day," answered Jesus, "for even this man is a son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to 'search for those who are lost' and to save them."
In my Father's Home there are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you. And, since I go and prepare a place for you, I shall return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am;
If no one welcomes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave that house or that town, shake off its dust from your feet.
And if a place does not welcome you, or listen to you, as you go out of it shake off the dust that is on the soles of your feet, as a protest against them."
If people do not welcome you, as you leave that town, shake even the dust off your feet, as a protest against them."
Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.' For, when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I was thirsty, you gave me no drink; When I was a stranger, you did not take me to your homes; when I was naked, you did not clothe me; and, when I was ill and in prison, you did not visit me.'read more.
Then they, in their turn, will answer 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or ill, or in prison, and did not supply your wants?' And then he will reply 'I tell you, as often as you failed to do it to one of these, however lowly, you failed to do it to me.'
