And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This instruction isn't just about avoiding awkwardness; it’s a practical strategy to prevent the disciples from getting sidetracked by the complexities and potential social rivalries of constantly seeking new accommodations. By staying put, they could focus their energy entirely on their mission and demonstrate a profound trust that their basic needs would be met.
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending out seventy additional messengers, just as he did the twelve earlier, to prepare towns for his arrival and proclaim the Kingdom of God. These instructions are about how they should conduct themselves in the homes they enter, emphasizing stability and receiving hospitality as their rightful support for the work. This contrasts with the need for swiftness and a lack of worldly encumbrance in their mission to spread the Gospel.
Imagine being sent out with nothing but the clothes on your back. How could you possibly survive?
Living on Faith
Jesus sends out seventy disciples, telling them to carry no purse, no bag, no extra sandals. It's a radical call to trust that God will provide through the people they minister to. They are to stay in one house, eating and drinking whatever is offered.
The Principle of Hospitality
This wasn't just about sustenance; it was about fostering genuine connection. By staying in one place and accepting what was given, the disciples showed they weren't there to take advantage but to serve. It also honored the host, preventing the social complications and potential conflicts that could arise from moving between multiple homes (as Dr. Thomson notes in his observations of Oriental customs).
A Different Kind of Wealth
The disciples weren't seeking material wealth, but spiritual harvest. Their 'payment' was the sustenance provided, a tangible sign of the community's embrace of the message they carried.
Why is it so important that the 'laborer deserves his wages'?
Earning Your Keep
The phrase 'the laborer deserves his wages' is central here. It's not just a transactional statement; it speaks to the inherent dignity of work and the right to be supported while doing it.
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A Just Exchange
When Jesus sends out the seventy, He's commissioning them for a vital spiritual task. Their work—preaching, healing, and announcing the kingdom—is demanding and important. The provision they receive isn't charity; it's a just return for their service, acknowledging the value of their labor.
Avoiding Exploitation and Idleness
By emphasizing this, Jesus guards against two extremes: the disciples exploiting their hosts, and the hosts devaluing the disciples' ministry. It ensures the mission is taken seriously, both by those going out and those receiving them. As Bengel points out, it means there must be no idleness on either side.
Understand the original words
ergatēs · Greek Noun
One who works for the sake of the Gospel; the principle that those who minister the word are entitled to material support from those who receive their ministry.
misthos · Greek Noun
The concept of divine compensation or earned reward; in a biblical context, it affirms the right of those serving the kingdom to be supported by the community they serve.
The instructions in Luke 10:7 are not just about practical hospitality but reflect ancient Near Eastern customs where sharing a meal with a guest solidified a relationship and avoided social friction. By staying in one home, the disciples avoided the complex and time-consuming etiquette of moving between households, which could distract from their spiritual mission and cause division among potential hosts.
c. 4 BC - AD 30/33
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus began his public ministry, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples, including the twelve apostles and later the seventy.
c. AD 27-30
Sending of the Twelve
Jesus first commissioned the twelve apostles, giving them instructions for ministry, which included similar commands about hospitality and provision.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Sends the Seventy
Jesus appointed and sent out seventy additional disciples, two by two, to prepare towns for his coming, providing specific instructions for their mission.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry Spreads
The mission of the seventy, along with the continued ministry of Jesus and the twelve, spread the message of the Kingdom of God throughout Judea.
c. AD 30-33
The Seventy Report Success
The seventy disciples returned rejoicing, reporting their successes in ministry and authority over demons, further demonstrating the impact of Jesus' work.
This passage gives a similar instruction to the apostles when sent out, highlighting the principle that those who serve deserve to be supported by those they serve.
1 Corinthians 9:7Paul directly uses the concept that a laborer is worthy of his hire, applying it to the context of those who preach the gospel being supported by the church.
1 Timothy 5:18This verse quotes the exact phrase 'The laborer deserves his wages,' attributing it to the Lord and Scripture, underscoring its foundational truth about supporting ministry.
Deuteronomy 25:4This Old Testament law provides an ancient precedent for the principle of not muzzling the ox while it is treading out the grain, showing the long-standing value God places on ensuring those who work are provided for.
vincentLuke 10:7: "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house."
The workman is worthy, etcSee on Matthew 10:10.
pulpitLuke 10:7: "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house."
Verse 7. - And in the same house remain.... Go not from house to house. Similar instructions were given in the case of the sending out the twelve as missionaries. One house and family were to be selected as the centre of their work (see note on Luke 9:4). Eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire.
This instruction isn't just about avoiding awkwardness; it’s a practical strategy to prevent the disciples from getting sidetracked by the complexities and potential social rivalries of constantly seeking new accommodations. By staying put, they could focus their energy entirely on their mission and demonstrate a profound trust that their basic needs would be met.
Jesus is sending out seventy additional messengers, just as he did the twelve earlier, to prepare towns for his arrival and proclaim the Kingdom of God. These instructions are about how they should conduct themselves in the homes they enter, emphasizing stability and receiving hospitality as their rightful support for the work. This contrasts with the need for swiftness and a lack of worldly encumbrance in their mission to spread the Gospel.
Jesus is sending out seventy additional messengers, just as he did the twelve earlier, to prepare towns for his arrival and proclaim the Kingdom of God. These instructions are about how they should conduct themselves in the homes they enter, emphasizing stability and receiving hospitality as their rightful support for the work. This contrasts with the need for swiftness and a lack of worldly encumbrance in their mission to spread the Gospel.
"And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house." — This instruction isn't just about avoiding awkwardness; it’s a practical strategy to prevent the disciples from getting sidetracked by the complexities and potential social rivalries of constantly se…
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Last reviewed October 2026