Greek: φιλοξενία (philoxenia); φιλόξενος (philoxenos)
English: hospitality; being hospitable
By Mark D. Taylor, NLT Bible Translation Committee
The writers of the New Testament letters make several references to hospitality. They use two closely related Greek words: the noun philoxenia (pronounced phil-ox-en-EE-ah) and the adjective philoxenos (pronounced phil-OX-en-os). Both terms are compounds formed from the Greek words philos, meaning “love,” and xenos, meaning “stranger.” A third Greek word that is used is xenodocheō (pronounced xen-o-dock-EH-oh), which comes from two words that mean “stranger” and “welcome.”
Here’s how the NLT renders these terms:
Romans 12:13: When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality
1 Timothy 3:2: A church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.
1 Timothy 5:10: [Regarding a widow who is put on the list for support by the church] She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?
Titus 1:8: [Regarding an elder in the church] Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.
Hebrews 13:2: Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
1 Peter 4:9: Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
As you can see, the NLT uses the traditional term hospitality in Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:2, both of which use the noun philoxenia. In 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8, and 1 Peter 4:9, where the adjective philoxenos is used, the NLT provides contextual descriptions of what it means to be hospitable: having guests in our homes and sharing a meal or a place to stay. In 1 Timothy 5:10, where xenodocheō is used, the NLT translators convey the general concept of being welcoming or kind to strangers. This variety reflects the NLT’s meaning-for-meaning philosophy of translation. All these Greek terms point to the notion of hospitality, but the translation team often fleshed out the meaning of these Greek words with expressions that show what it means for followers of Christ to live our lives in a hospitable way toward others.
In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus himself gave his followers numerous examples of hospitality:
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”
Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?”
And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”
Jesus viewed the practice of hospitality as a key component of being his follower. And in our world today, these instructions from the Bible hit close to home. We are to be kind to strangers, which applies both to neighbors we don’t yet know and to foreigners, refugees, and immigrants—in other words, everyone we encounter. May we compassionately live out these instructions in our daily lives and through our interactions with others.