all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.'”
Abraham welcomes strangers who turn out to be divine messengers. It teaches that welcoming visitors, even strangers, with generosity and care is a practice that honors God and can lead to unexpected blessings.
7. Luke 14:12-14
“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'”
Jesus teaches about selfless hospitality. It encourages us to welcome and care for those who cannot repay us, focusing on serving others with no expectation of return, which aligns with the heart of true Christian hospitality.
8. Acts 16:15
“When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.”
Lydia’s hospitality to Paul and his companions. It teaches that welcoming others into our homes, especially fellow believers, is a natural expression of our faith and a way to build the Christian community.
9. Matthew 10:40
“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
Jesus connects welcoming His followers with welcoming God. It teaches that showing hospitality to others, especially those who serve Christ, is akin to welcoming Christ Himself and, by extension, God the Father.
10. 3 John 1:5-8
“Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.”
John praises the practice of hospitality among believers. It teaches that by welcoming and supporting fellow Christians, especially those in ministry, we participate in their work and contribute to the spread of the gospel.
11. Job 31:32
“But no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler.”
Job reflects on his commitment to hospitality. It teaches that welcoming visitors, particularly those in need, should be a priority, reflecting a heart that is open and generous to all who come our way.
12. Titus 1:8
“Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.”
Paul lists hospitality as a key qualification for church leaders. It teaches that hospitality is not only a personal virtue but also a crucial quality for those in leadership, demonstrating care and love for others.
13. Isaiah 58:7
“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
Isaiah describes true fasting that pleases God. It teaches that part of living a life that honors God includes welcoming and providing for those in need, showing compassion and hospitality to the less fortunate.
14. Luke 24:28-29
“As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them.”
The disciples on the road to Emmaus invite Jesus to stay with them. It teaches that welcoming visitors, even when we do not fully understand who they are, can lead to significant encounters with Christ and blessings we might not anticipate.
15. Acts 28:2
“The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.”
The people of Malta show hospitality to Paul and his companions. It teaches that even strangers can display the spirit of hospitality, offering warmth, shelter, and kindness to those in need, which reflects the heart of God.
16. Philemon 1:22
“And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.”
Paul asks Philemon to prepare a place for him. It teaches that hospitality includes making practical preparations to welcome guests, reflecting a readiness to offer care and companionship to those who visit.
17. 2 Kings 4:8-10
“One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, ‘I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.'”
The Shunammite woman provides hospitality to Elisha. It teaches that welcoming visitors, especially those who serve God, can be a blessing and an opportunity to support their ministry by offering a place of rest and comfort.
18. Genesis 19:2-3
“‘My lords,’ he said, ‘please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.’ ‘No,’ they answered, ‘we will spend the night in the square.’ But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.”
Lot insists on welcoming the visitors to his home. It teaches that hospitality sometimes requires persistence, especially in ensuring that guests are well-cared for and safe, reflecting a heart that truly desires to serve others.
19. Acts 10:23
“Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.”
Peter shows hospitality to the messengers sent by Cornelius. It teaches that welcoming visitors can be the beginning of significant spiritual events, as Peter’s hospitality led to the inclusion of Gentiles in the early church.
20. Luke 10:38
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.”
Martha welcomes Jesus into her home. It teaches that opening our homes to visitors, especially those who are doing God’s work, is a way to serve and honor God, even as we manage the practical details of hospitality.
21. 1 Timothy 3:2
“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
Paul includes hospitality as a qualification for church overseers. It teaches that hospitality is a key characteristic of godly leadership, showing care for others and a willingness to welcome and serve.
22. Matthew 10:11
“Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.”
Jesus instructs His disciples to rely on the hospitality of others. It teaches that the practice of hospitality was central to the mission of the early church, and welcoming those who come in the name of the Lord is an act of service to God.
23. Genesis 24:31
“‘Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,’ he said. ‘Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.'”
Laban welcomes Abraham’s servant. It teaches that welcoming visitors with open arms and readiness, even providing for their needs and those of their animals, is a demonstration of kindness and a reflection of a hospitable heart.
24. John 12:1-2
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.”
Jesus is welcomed into the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. It teaches that hospitality includes honoring our guests, especially those who have blessed us, by serving them with love and gratitude.
25. Mark 9:37
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Jesus connects welcoming children with welcoming God. It teaches that showing hospitality, even to the least and the smallest, is an act of welcoming God Himself, emphasizing the value of every individual.
26. 2 Kings 4:32-33
“When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.”
The Shunammite woman’s hospitality to Elisha led to the resurrection of her son. It teaches that God can work miracles through our acts of hospitality, blessing us in ways we could not foresee.
27. John 4:40
“So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.”
The Samaritans welcome Jesus into their town. It teaches that welcoming visitors, especially those who bring God’s word, can lead to deeper relationships and spiritual growth within a community.
28. 2 Samuel 6:10-11
“He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.”
Obed-Edom welcomes the Ark of the Covenant into his home. It teaches that welcoming the presence of God into our homes, through acts of hospitality and reverence, brings blessings not just to us but to our entire household.
29. Ruth 2:14
“At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.’ When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.”
Boaz shows hospitality to Ruth. It teaches that welcoming others, especially those in need, with kindness and generosity can provide them with the comfort and support they need, reflecting God’s love and provision.
30. Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”
Jesus emphasizes the importance of caring for others. It teaches that welcoming and serving others, especially the least and most vulnerable, is equivalent to serving Christ Himself, highlighting the eternal significance of our hospitality.
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