12:13

Follow the course of hospitality: The Greek term for “to follow the course of” could literally be rendered “to hasten; to run.” Paul here uses the term to encourage Christians to do more than show hospitality when called on to do so. Rather, he urges them to pursue hospitality, to take the initiative to show this quality regularly. The Greek word for “hospitality,” phi·lo·xe·niʹa, literally means “love of (fondness for) strangers.” This would indicate that hospitality should be extended beyond one’s circle of close friends. Paul also uses this term at Heb 13:2, apparently alluding to accounts in Genesis chapters 18 and 19 about Abraham and Lot. When these men showed hospitality toward strangers, it resulted in their unknowingly entertaining angels. At Ge 18:1-8, Abraham is described as running and hurrying to take care of his guests. The related adjective phi·loʹxe·nos occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures in other contexts where showing hospitality is encouraged.​—1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:8; 1Pe 4:9.