And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
Parallel translations
- WEB Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house.
- BSB Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
- NKJV And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.
- NASB Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide; for the laborer is deserving of his wages. Do not move from house to house.
- NLT Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They are to stay in one house, eating what is provided, for the laborer deserves his wages. Gospel workers may rightly receive support without seeking better lodging.
Overview
Jesus instructs the messengers to remain content where first received rather than seeking more comfortable hospitality. The principle that the laborer is worthy of his wages affirms the legitimacy of supporting those who do gospel work, a truth Paul later applies. It guards both the dignity of the worker and the focus of the mission.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Tim 5:17–18Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
- Matt 10:10–11Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
- 1 Cor 9:4–15Have we not power to eat and to drink?
- 2 Tim 2:6The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
- Gal 6:6Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
- Deut 12:18–19But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.
- 3 Jn 1:5–8Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
- Mark 6:10And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
- Acts 16:15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
- Deut 12:12And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.
- Phil 4:17–18Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
- Acts 16:34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
- Luke 9:4And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
- Acts 16:40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
- 1 Tim 5:13And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 10:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.