If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you.
- KJV And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
- ESV Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.
- NKJV Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
- NASB Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is served to you;
- NLT “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
In any town that receives them, they are to eat what is set before them. They accept hospitality freely without burdening hosts or fussing over details.
Overview
This instruction reinforces simplicity, gratitude, and freedom from undue scruple in receiving hospitality. By eating what is offered, the messengers honor their hosts and stay unencumbered for the work. It models a posture of trust and contentment in dependence on God's provision.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Cor 10:27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.
- Matt 10:40He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
- Luke 9:48And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”
- Luke 10:10But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,
- John 13:20Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 10:8 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.