Hebrews 13:1-6
Love, Hospitality, and Contentment
Read the passage
1Continue in brotherly love.
2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
3Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.
4Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
6So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
After the letter's great argument, the writer gives ordinary instructions. Continue in brotherly love. Do not neglect hospitality to strangers; some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember prisoners as though bound with them and remember the mistreated as though suffering with them.
The commands turn attention outward. Love is not only a feeling for people already close to us. It notices strangers, prisoners, and people whose suffering could remain invisible to everyone else.
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled. God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. Honoring marriage includes sexual faithfulness, a responsibility the whole community should take seriously.
The writer then addresses money. Keep life free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has promised never to leave or forsake His people. God’s faithful presence gives His people a reason to be content instead of trusting possessions for security.
The response is confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” People can cause real harm, and seeking protection is wise. But no human being is the final measure of our worth or the final power over our future.
Questions
1 Whom should believers remember as if sharing their suffering?
AnswerThey should remember prisoners and people being mistreated as if they were suffering with them.
2 What does the writer say about hospitality?
AnswerHe tells believers not to neglect hospitality to strangers, since some people have welcomed angels without knowing who their guests were.
3 What should marriage be among all people?
AnswerMarriage should be honored by all, with the marriage bed kept faithful and undefiled before God.
4 Why can believers resist the love of money?
AnswerThey can resist it because God has promised never to leave or forsake them, making His presence their security.
What This Means for Us
Remember someone whose suffering is easy to overlook. A letter to a prisoner, a meal for a stranger or practical help for a mistreated neighbor can make love visible. Choose a wise, concrete way to help.
Honor marriage in your own conduct and in what you encourage others to do. When wanting more money begins to govern your choices, return to God's promise to remain with His people. His help is a firmer security than possessions.
Prayer
God, keep our love active and our homes attentive to people who are overlooked. Help us honor marriage, resist the love of money, practice wise hospitality, and trust that You will not abandon us. Amen.
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