Eating is common in the Bible – with friends, strangers, and outsiders. Hospitality is much more than a beautifully set table: it is love in action. Here you will find 18 Bible verses about hospitality and an open home.
Be hospitable
Exhortations to hospitality.
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Do not forget to be hospitable, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2Love for neighborsHome
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Be hospitable to strangers. Entertain travelers.
Romans 12:13Generosity
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Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9
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He shall dwell with you as one of your own, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 19:34Love for neighbors
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Therefore you shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:19
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For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
Matthew 25:35Poverty
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But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed, for they cannot repay you, but you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
Luke 14:13-14Food
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Break bread to the hungry, and bring into your house those who are in need; if you see anyone without clothes, clothe them, and do not withhold from your own flesh.
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But be hospitable, kind, gentle, just, holy, and chaste.
Titus 1:8
Guests in the Bible
Encounters at the table.
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And the LORD appeared to him in the grove of Mamre, and he was sitting at the door of his tent when the day was hottest. And when he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing before him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them at the door of his tent and bowed himself to the ground.
Genesis 18:1-2
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And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your heart, and then you shall go. For this purpose you have come to your servant.
They said, "Do as you have said."Genesis 18:5
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But it happened that as they were walking, he entered into a city, and there was a woman named Martha, who received him into her house.
Luke 10:38
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And when Jesus came to the town, he looked up and saw Zacchaeus, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay today in your house!" And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
Luke 19:5-6
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And they urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is evening, and the day is far spent." And he went in and stayed with them. And it happened that as he sat at table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them.
Luke 24:29-30
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But when they had baptized him and his household, they exhorted us, saying, "If you hold me in honor, that I am faithful to the LORD, then come into my house and stay there." And they urged us.
Acts 16:15
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Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20FoodConversion
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And it happened that as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
Mark 2:15
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Let us make him a little upper room, and put in there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lampstand, that when he comes to us, he may lie there.
2 Kings 4:10
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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Hospitality in the Bible
In the wilderness, hospitality was vital for survival. The Bible tells how Abraham runs out to meet three strangers, brings water for their feet, and prepares a feast – and only later realizes that God himself has visited him (Genesis 18). The Epistle to the Hebrews alludes to this: “Do not forget to be hospitable, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). Jesus himself is often a guest – with tax collectors, Pharisees, and friends like Martha and Mary. And he invites people whom no one else invites.
An open home today
Hospitality does not require a large house or a perfect meal. Jesus even advises inviting those who cannot repay you: “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:13). Hospitality can mean inviting the new neighbor for coffee, the international student for Christmas dinner, or the colleague who is currently alone. Peter adds: without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9) – so gladly. Learn more about Bible verses for the home, Bible verses about food, and Bible verses about love for neighbors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does it say “Do not forget to be hospitable”?
In Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to be hospitable, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
What does the Bible say about hospitality?
The Bible calls for hospitality toward friends and strangers (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9) and shows it as an expression of love for neighbors (Matthew 25:35).
