God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 13:2
2Don’t forget to show hospitality to believers you don’t know. By doing this some believers have shown hospitality to angels without being aware of it.
Hebrews 13:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
Context of Hebrews 13:2
1Continue to love each other. Don’t forget to show hospitality to believers you don’t know. By doing this some believers have shown hospitality to angels without being aware of it. 3Remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are mistreated as if you were being mistreated. 4Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.
Read all of Hebrews 13Hebrews 13:2 word by word
τῆς φιλοξενίας μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθε· διὰ ταύτης γὰρ ἔλαθόν τινες ξενίσαντες ἀγγέλους.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Beἐπιλανθάνωepilanthanomai · to forgetG1950
- notμήmē · notG3361
- to entertain strangersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- to entertain strangersφιλοξενίαphilonexia · hospitalityG5381
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- therebyδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- therebyοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- someτιςtis · oneG5100
- have entertainedξενίζωxenizō · to hostG3579
- angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- unawaresλανθάνωlanthanō · be hiddenG2990
Cross-references for Hebrews 13:2
- Leviticus 19:34Foreigners living among you will be like your own people. Love them as you love yourself, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
- Deuteronomy 10:18He makes sure orphans and widows receive justice. He loves foreigners and gives them food and clothes.
- 1 Kings 17:10He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.”
- 2 Kings 4:8One day Elisha was traveling through Shunem, where a rich woman lived. She had invited him to eat ⌞with her⌟. So whenever he was in the area, he stopped in to eat.
- Job 31:19If I have seen anyone die because he had no clothes or a poor person going naked….
- Isaiah 58:7Share your food with the hungry, take the poor and homeless into your house, and cover them with clothes when you see ⌞them⌟ naked. Don’t refuse to help your relatives.
- Matthew 25:35I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home.
- Acts 16:15When Lydia and her family were baptized, she invited us to stay at her home. She said, “If you’re convinced that I believe in the Lord, then stay at my home.” She insisted. So we did.
- Romans 12:13Share what you have with God’s people who are in need. Be hospitable.
- Romans 16:23Gaius greets you. He is host to me and the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, greets you. Quartus, our brother in the Christian faith, greets you.
- 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach.
- 1 Timothy 5:10People should tell about the good things she has done: raising children, being hospitable, taking care of believers’ needs, helping the suffering, or always doing good things.
- 1 Peter 4:9Welcome each other as guests without complaining.
- Genesis 18:2Abraham looked up, and suddenly he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them, and he bowed with his face touching the ground.
- Genesis 19:1The two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed with his face touching the ground.
- Judges 13:15Manoah said to the Messenger of the Lord, “Please stay while we prepare a young goat for you to eat.”
Commentaries on Hebrews 13:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2To entertain stranger's - In those early times, when there were scarcely any public inns or houses of entertainment, it was an office of charity and mercy to receive, lodge, and entertain travelers; and this is what the apostle particularly recommends. Entertained angels - Abraham and Lot are the persons particularly referred to. Their history, the angels whom they entertained, not knowing them to be such, and the good they derived from exercising their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Be not forgetful to entertain strangers - On the duty of hospitality, see a full explanation in the notes on Romans 12:13. For thereby some have entertained angels unawares - Without knowing that they were angels. As Abraham (Genesis 18:2 ff), and Lot did; Genesis 19. The motive here urged for doing it is, that by entertaining the stranger we may perhaps be honored with the presence of those whose society will be to us an honor and a blessing. It is not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Hospitality is an important principle in Jewish and Christian ethics (1 Peter 4:9; see also Matthew 10:11; Acts 16:15; Titus 3:13; Philemon 1:22; 3 John 1:5–8). In the first century, travelers usually did not stay at inns. some people have entertained angels without knowing it: See Genesis 18:2–15; Judges 13:2–23.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251. brotherly love--a distinct special manifestation of "charity" or "love" (2Pe 1:7). The Church of Jerusalem, to which in part this Epistle was addressed, was distinguished by this grace, we know from Acts (compare He 6:10; 10:32-34; 12:12, 13). continue--Charity will itself continue. See that it continue with you.Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 13:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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