Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Hebrews 13:2

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
- 2 Do not forget hospitality,*+ for through it some unknowingly entertained angels.+

Hebrews 13:2

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
- 2 τῆς Of the φιλοξενίας fondness for strangers μὴ not ἐπιλανθάνεσθε, be YOU forgetting, διὰ through ταύτης this γὰρ for ἔλαθόν were hidden (to selves) τινες some ξενίσαντες having treated as strangers ἀγγέλους. angels.

Hebrews 13:2

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
- 2 Do not forget hospitality,*+ for through it some, unknown to themselves, entertained* angels.+

Hebrews 13:2

The Bible in Living English
- 2 Do not forget hospitableness, for by it some men had angels as guests before they knew it.

Hebrews 13:2

American Standard Version
- 2 Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:2

The Emphasized Bible
- 2 Of the entertaining of strangers be not forgetful, For hereby unawares have some entertained messengers.

Hebrews 13:2

King James Version
- 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews Study Notes—Chapter 13

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
- 13:2
  
  hospitality: Or “kindness to strangers.”—See study notes on Ro 12:13; 1Ti 3:2.
  
  some unknowingly entertained angels: This phrase does not specify who it was that showed hospitality to materialized angels without knowing it. There are several possible examples in the Hebrew Scriptures. Abraham and Sarah hosted a group of three angels, and Lot and his family later hosted two of those angels. The accounts do not directly say whether (or at what point) the human hosts realized that their guests were angels sent as representatives of Jehovah God. (Ge 18:2-15; 19:1-11) An account about Gideon and one about Manoah and his wife clearly state that the human hosts did not know right away that they were talking to angels. (Jg 6:20-22; 13:16, 21) The point of the counsel in this verse is to urge Christians to be hospitable whenever possible because this pleases God and may bring unexpected blessings.