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Hebrews 13:2 — King James Version← Study notes

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.


Hebrews 13:2Greek Interlinear

Greek · Hebrews 13:211 words
GreekMeaning
τῆςtēs
thearticleG3588
φιλοξενίαςphiloxenias
Of hospitalitynounG5381
μὴ
notadverbG3361
ἐπιλανθάνεσθεepilanthanesthe
do forgetverbG1950
διὰdia
throughprepositionG1223
ταύτηςtautēs
thisdemonstrativeG3778
γὰρgar
forwordG1063
ἔλαθόνelathon
unawaresverbG2990
τινεςtines
somepronounG5100
ξενίσαντεςxenisantes
have entertainedverbG3579
ἀγγέλουςangelous
angelsnounG32
Greek text from the SBL Greek New Testament (SBLGNT). Transliteration follows SBL Academic conventions.

Church Fathers on Hebrews 13:2

“Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful of hospitality, for hereby some have entertained angels unawares.” See how he enjoins them to preserve what they had: he does not add other things. He did not say, “Be loving as brethren,” but, “Let brotherly love continue.” And again, he did not say, “Be hospitable,” as if they were not, but, “Be not forgetful of hospitality,” for this was likely to happen owing to their afflictions. Therefore (he says) “some have entertained…

Chrysostom · 4th century · Homily 33 on Hebrews
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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Omar HassanNote3mo ago
Show Hospitality to Strangers
I grew up middle class in the suburbs where everyone was like us. When I moved into a diverse urban neighborhood, I was terrified of people who looked different from me. The verse about hospitality to...
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Lena HoffmannNote3mo ago
Stranger Hospitality as Sacred Obligation
I'm a refugee caseworker, and this verse has become a kind of mission statement for my work. The idea that we might be entertaining angels unaware, that the stranger we're helping might be more than t...
1