If you are looking for Bible verses about welcoming strangers, this list is for you: a set of passages that call God’s people to open their homes, tables and hearts to people they do not yet know. These verses come from both the Old and New Testaments, and they share a common thread. God’s own care for outsiders, the memory of Israel’s time as foreigners, and Jesus’s personal identification with the stranger all shape the command to welcome.
Verses for Remembering Where You Came From
Many of the strongest calls to hospitality are rooted in memory. God reminds His people that they once lived as outsiders, and that memory is meant to soften how they treat others today. These passages invite you to think of your own past before you judge someone else’s present.
Leviticus 19:33-34
33 “‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
(WEB)
This command speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in a new job, church or neighborhood. God asks His people to treat the foreigner living among them as one of their own. A practical way to carry it is to invite someone new to a regular meal this week and let them feel like part of the family.
Deuteronomy 10:18-19
18 He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. 19 Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
(WEB)
Here God is shown to care for the fatherless, the widow and the foreigner, and His people are asked to do the same. The passage links God’s own character with the way you treat others. Try naming one person in your community who lacks support, and ask what small, concrete help you could offer them.
Exodus 22:21
“You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
(WEB)
This verse is a gentle warning against exploiting people who have no one to speak for them. Israel was told to remember its own enslavement in Egypt. Before you speak sharply to a newcomer or take advantage of an unfamiliar situation, pause and recall what it felt like to be the one who did not yet belong.
Verses for Sharing Your Table and Your Home
Hospitality in Scripture is often pictured around a meal, a guest room or an open door. These verses speak to the everyday practice of making room for others, whether you are cooking for three or for thirty. They encourage you to see generosity as a form of worship.
Romans 12:13
Contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
(WEB)
Paul lists hospitality alongside sharing with God’s people in need, showing that it is a normal part of the Christian life, not an optional extra. This verse fits well into a busy week. Plan one simple way to host someone this month, even if it is only coffee after church.
Hebrews 13:2
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
(WEB)
This verse reminds readers that some who were welcomed without expectation turned out to be messengers of God. It does not say strangers are secretly angels, but it urges an open heart. When someone unfamiliar crosses your path, try asking them a sincere question about their life and listen to the answer.
1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
(WEB)
Peter asks believers to offer hospitality to one another without complaining. The phrase without grumbling points to the attitude behind the act. Before your next guest arrives, take a minute to pray for a willing heart, and let the hosting become a gift rather than a chore.
Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
(WEB)
In this teaching Jesus says that welcoming a stranger is a way of welcoming Him. That connection gives ordinary kindness a deep meaning. You might notice one stranger this week, perhaps a new coworker or a visitor at church, and treat them as though you were serving Christ Himself.
Verses for Seeing Christ in the Stranger
The New Testament teaches that Jesus identifies with the outsider, the traveler and the one who is left out. These passages help you see strangers through the eyes of Christ, so that welcome becomes an act of love for Him as well as for them.
Hebrews 13:1
Let brotherly love continue.
(WEB)
This verse opens with brotherly love and then turns to hospitality, showing that the two belong together. Love for believers is meant to spill over into love for those outside the circle. Choose one person who feels like an outsider in your church and make a point of greeting them by name next Sunday.
Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
(WEB)
Jesus tells His disciples that receiving them is the same as receiving Him. This makes even a small welcome significant. When you offer a glass of water, a seat or a kind word to someone new, remember that the act is received by Christ, and let that thought shape your tone.
Colossians 4:5-6
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
(WEB)
Paul urges believers to act wisely toward outsiders and to let their speech be gracious. Welcome is more than a warm feeling; it shows up in how you talk and listen. Before a conversation with someone you have just met, pray briefly for words that are both honest and kind.
Verses for Hospitality That Costs You Something
Welcoming strangers can be inconvenient, tiring and sometimes risky. These verses speak to the moments when hospitality asks more of you than you expected, and they remind you that God sees and rewards the generosity others may never notice.
Luke 14:13-14
13 But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”
(WEB)
Jesus teaches that the best invitations go to those who cannot repay them. This challenges the habit of only hosting people who will return the favor. This week, consider inviting someone who has nothing to offer you in return, and let that gift be its own reward.
Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; he will reward him.
(WEB)
Here generosity toward the poor is described as a loan to the Lord. The verse gives weight to small, unseen acts of kindness. Set aside a little time or money this month for someone you do not know well, and trust that God takes notice of it.
How to Use These Verses
You might write one or two of these verses on a card and place it where you will see it during the day, such as near the kitchen sink, on your car dashboard or beside your work keyboard. Reading a single verse slowly at the start of the day often does more than skimming a long list. Consider rotating through the passages over several weeks so each one has time to settle in your thinking.
Pray these verses before you invite someone over, before you meet a newcomer at church or before you enter a setting where you feel awkward. Ask God to show you who needs a welcome and to give you the courage to offer it. Afterward, take a moment to thank Him for any opportunity He gave you, even if the conversation felt small.
A Short Prayer for welcoming strangers
Lord, thank You for welcoming me when I was far from home in my heart. Help me remember that kindness toward others is a way of honoring You. Open my door, my table and my schedule to people I do not yet know. Give me patience when hosting is hard, and give me eyes to see Christ in the people You bring across my path. Let my welcome be honest, warm and unhurried. Amen.
