21 Bible Verses about Hospitality, A Duty Of God's People
Most Relevant Verses
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and placed himself again at the table, he said to them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me the Teacher, and the Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one anothers feet.read more.
For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.
Relieve the wants of the holy; be given to hospitality.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, discreet, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching;
Let a widow be put on the list when not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one husband, well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
For I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
And he said also to him who invited him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, do not invite thy friends, nor thy brothers, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they too invite thee in return, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompense thee; but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.
For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the splendid apparel, and say, Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or, Sit under my footstool, have ye not been partial among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae; that ye may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy, and assist her in whatever business she may need your aid; for she hath been a helper of many, and of myself also.
Aristarchus, my fellowprisoner, saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom ye received directions (if he come to you, receive him),
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriagefeast for his son, and sent forth his servants to call to the feast those who had been invited; and they would not come.read more.
Again, he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who have been invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come to the feast. But they made light of it, and went away; one to his farm, another to his merchandise. And the rest seized his servants, and illtreated and slew them. And the king was enraged; and sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then saith he to his servants, The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the thoroughfares, and as many as ye find, invite to the feast. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the bridechamber was fully furnished with guests. And the king, coming in to view the guests, saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment; and he saith to him, Friend, how camest thou in here, not having a wedding garment? And he was struck dumb. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.
And one of those who were at table with him, hearing this, said to him, Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. And he said to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And at the hour of supper he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come, for things are now ready.read more.
And all with one accord began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of land, and must needs go out and see it; I pray that I may be excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and am going out to try them; I pray that I may be excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. And the servant came, and reported these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, the blind, and the lame. And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command hath been done, and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you, that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.
And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And lo! a man named Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus, what sort of man he was; and he could not on account of the multitude; because he was small of stature.read more.
And he ran on before, and climbed up a sycamoretree to see him; for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said to him, Zacchaeas, make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He hath gone in to be the guest of a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood up, and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any one by false representation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said to him, This day hath salvation come to this house, inasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
In my Fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. For I go away to prepare a place for you; and when I have gone away and prepared a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, ye also may be.
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye go out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
And whatever place shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye go thence, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony to them.
And whoever shall not receive you, shake off, when ye leave that city, even the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.
Then will he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.read more.
Then will they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then will he answer them, saying, Truly do I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
