Hospitality and welcoming strangers

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

Welcoming the foreigner

OET Lev 19:33-34

33 ⇔Don’t take advantage of foreigners when they stay in your land[ref]—34 you all must treat foreigners the same as native-born Israelis and love them like you love yourselves, because you were all foreigners in Mitsrayim (Egypt). I am your god Yahweh.

19:33-34: Exo 22:21; Deu 24:17-18; 27:19.

OET Deu 10:17-19

17 because your god Yahweh is god of gods and master of masters—the very powerful and awesome one who doesn’t judge by looks and doesn’t accept bribes.[ref] 18 He delivers fair judgements for the fatherless and for widows, and shows love towards foreigners—giving them food and clothing, 19 so you all must show love to foreigners too because you all were foreigners when you were in Mitsrayim (Egypt).

10:17: 1Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16; Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9.

Sharing our tables and our lives

OET Luke 14:12-24

12 Then Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) also spoke to the man who had invited him, “Whenever you host a brunch or dinner, don’t invite your friends or siblings, or your other relatives or your wealthy neighbours, because they can invite you back and so repay you. 13 Instead when you’re celebrating, invite the poor and the crippled, the lame and the blind, 14 and then you’ll be rewarded by God because those people won’t be able to repay you, hence you’ll be repaid instead when those who please God come back to life.”

14:15 The parable about the reluctant dinner guests

(Mat. 22:1-10)

15 Now one of the people at the meal heard all this and commented, “Blessed is anyone who gets to have a meal in God’s kingdom.”

16 But Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) responded, “There was a home-owner who was putting on a large dinner and invited many people. 17 When the meal was ready, he sent out his slave to go and tell everyone who’d been invited, ‘Come over now because the food is ready.’ 18 However they all started giving excuses. The first one said, ‘I bought a field and I need to go and inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another one said, ‘I’ve bought five pairs of oxen and I need to check them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Yet another said, ‘I just got married so I can’t really come.’ 21 So when the slave got back, he reported all this to his master. The home-owner got angry and told the slave, ‘Well then, hurry out into the roads and streets of the city and bring back the poor and crippled and blind and lame people.’ 22 When he’d done that, the slave said, ‘Master, I’ve done what you instructed and there’s still room at the table.’ 23 So the master instructed him, ‘Well go along the roads and fences and force them to come so that my house will fill up, 24 because I’m telling you that none of those invited guests will get a taste of this meal of mine.’ ”

12 And he _was_ also _saying to _the one having _invited him:
Whenever you _may _be _making a_dinner or a_supper, be_ not _calling the friends of _you, nor the brothers of _you, nor the relatives of _you, nor your_ rich _neighbours, lest also they may _invite _back you and a_repayment may _become to _you.

13 But whenever you _may _be _making a_banquet be _calling the_poor, the_crippled, the_lame, the_blind,

14 and you _will _be blessed, because they _are_ not _having to _repay to _you, because/for will _be _being _repaid to _you in the resurrection of _the righteous.

15 And one of _the ones reclining having _heard these things, said to _him:
Blessed is _he who will _be _eating bread in the kingdom of_ the _god.

16 But he said to _him:
A_man certain was _making a_ great _supper, and invited many.

17 And he _sent _out the slave of _him at _the hour of _the supper to _say to _the ones having _been _invited:
Be _coming, because it _is now ready.

18 And all began of one to _be _excusing themselves.
The first said to _him:
I _bought a_field and I _am _having necessity having _come _out to _see it, I _am _asking you be _holding me having _been _excused.

19 And another one said:
I _bought five pairs of _oxen and I _am _going to _approve them, I _am _asking you be _holding me having _been _excused.

20 And another said, I _married a_wife and because _of this I _am_ not _being _able to _come.

21 And having _arrived, the slave reported these things to _the master of _him.
Then having _been _angered, the the_home _owner said to _the slave of _him:
Come _out quickly into the roads and streets of _the city, and bring _in here the poor, and crippled, and blind, and lame.

22 And the slave said:
Master, it _has _become what you _commanded, and still there _is place.

23 And the master said to the slave:
Come _out into the roads and fences, and compel them to _come _in, in _order _that the house of _me may _be _filled,

24 for/because I _am _saying to _you _all that no _one of_ the those _men which having _been _invited, will _be _tasting of _the supper of _me.

OET Rom 12:9-13

9 Your love is to be free from hypocrisy. Deplore evil, and be united in doing good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, preferring to honour one another above yourselves. 11 Be diligent, rather than reluctant, with a spirit that’s zealous to serve the master. 12 Be cheerful about your hope, enduring persecution and consistently praying. 13 Contribute to the needs of the believers and practice hospitality.

9 Let _your love be unhypocritical.
Abhoring the evil, being _joined _together to_ the _good,

10 with _the brotherly _love toward one _another dearly _devoted be, the in _honour one _another preferring,

11 the in _earnestness not reluctant, the in _spirit being _zealous, for _the master serving,

12 the in _hope rejoicing, the in _tribulation enduring, the in _prayer attending,

13 to _the needs of _the holy ones sharing, the in _hospitality pursuing.

OET Heb 13:1-3

13:1 Leave religion and embrace godliness

13 Continue to love your fellow believers. 2 Don’t be lax in showing hospitality to others, because some people who’ve been hospitable have actually hosted God’s messengers without even realising.[ref] 3 Don’t forget about those who are in prison—help them as if you all were in prison with them. Also, help those who are being mistreated because you, yourselves are human.

13:2: Gen 18:1-8; 19:1-3.

13 The brotherly _love let _be _remaining.

2 The of _hospitality not be _forgetting, through for this, escaped _notice some having _lodged messengers.

3 Be _remembering of _the prisoners, as having _been _bound _with them, the ones being _mistreated as also yourselves being in the_body.

Receiving and supporting fellow workers

OET Acts 16:11-15

16:11 Ludia’s enthusiasm at Filippou

11 From Troias we sailed directly to Samothrakai, and then on to Neapolis the following day. 12 From there we continued on to Filippou (Philippi) which is a Romaios colony and the capital city of the Makedonia district where we stayed for several days. 13 On the Rest Days, we went down to the river outside the city gate where we thought people might be praying, and we spoke to the women who had met there. 14 One of them was Ludia from Thuateira who was a seller of purple goods[fn] and although she already worshipped God, the master opened her mind and she readily accepted what Paulos was saying. 15 So then Ludia and her household were all ceremonially immersed, and then she requested, “If you all consider me to be faithful to the master, come and stay at my place.” So she persuaded us.

16:14 It’s possible that Lydia dyed fabric and sold it, or that she actually made and sold the purple dye itself.

11 therefore having _been _launched from Trōias, we _ran _straight to Samothrakaʸ, and on _the_ following _day to New City,

12 and _from _there to Filippou, which is the_leading city of _the district of _Makedonia, a_colony.
And we _were staying in this the city some days.

13 And on _the day of _the days _of _rest, we _came _out outside the gate by a_river, where we _were _thinking prayer to _be, and having _sat _down we _were _speaking to _the women having _come _together.

14 And a_certain woman by_the_name Ludia, a_seller _of _purple of_the_city of _Thuateira, worshipping the god was _hearing, of _whom the master opened _up her heart, to _be _taking _heed to _the things being _spoken by the Paulos.

15 And when she _was _immersed and the house of _her, she _implored saying:
If you _all _have _judged me to _be faithful to _the master, having _come _in into the house of _me, be _remaining.
And she _urged us.

OET 1 Pet 4:7-11

7 The end of everything is getting close, so make good decisions and be serious in prayer, 8 and more than anything, display genuine love to each other, because love triumphs over many sins.[ref] 9 Show hospitality to each other without grumbling. 10 Whatever gift each person has received, they should use it to serve the others as good managers of the various forms of grace God’s given us. 11 Anyone who shares wisdom that came from God or uses the strength that God’s given them to serve others needs to be honouring God through Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah. He’s the one who deserves the honour and power throughout all time.

4:8: Prv 10:12.

7 And the end of _all things has _neared.
Therefore be _sensible and be _sober for the_prayers,

8 before all things, having the earnest love among yourselves, because love is _covering a_multitude of _sins,

9 be hospitable to one _another apart _from grumbling,

10 each one as he _received a_gift, serving it to yourselves, as good managers of_the_various grace of_god.

11 If anyone is _speaking, as oracles of_god, if anyone is _serving, as of strength of _which the god is _supplying, in _order _that in all things the god may _be _being _glorified through Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah, to _whom is the glory and the power to the ages of _the ages.
Truly.

OET 3 Yhn (3 Yohan or 3 Jhn) 1:5-8

1:5 Praising Gaios

5 My dear friend, you are faithful in what you do for other believers. Even strangers 6 have told the assembly about your caring for them before sending them on. Your actions will be praised by God 7 because they went out to serve God, not getting any help from the unbelievers. 8 We should be supporting believers like them so that we may also become their workmates in sharing the truth.

5 Beloved, faithful you _are _doing whatever, if you _may _do for the brothers and this is for _strangers,

6 who testified of _you to _the love before the_assembly, whom well you _will _be _doing, having _sent _forward worthily of_ the _god.

7 For/Because for the name they _came _out, nothing receiving from the pagans.

8 Therefore we ought to _be _supporting the such men, in _order _that fellow-workers we _may _be _becoming with _the truth.

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