Matthew 10:12-13
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The instruction to "greet it" is more than a polite hello; it's a direct command to pronounce a blessing of "peace" upon the entire household, encompassing both the people and the place itself. This simple act, in the context of Christ's commission, carried the weight of invoking divine favor and prosperity, both spiritual and temporal, upon those who were receptive.
As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending his disciples out to share his message, instructing them to travel light and rely entirely on God's provision. Before they even start speaking, they are told to find a worthy person in each town and make their home with them, a practice meant to show hospitality and prepare the way for the Gospel. This sets the stage for their arrival, emphasizing that their initial contact should be one of peace and blessing to those who are receptive.
When Jesus sent his disciples out, he didn't just tell them to be polite. The way they greeted people carried profound significance.
The command to "salute it" (Matthew 10:12) wasn't about a casual 'hi.' In that culture, a greeting was a significant act, often invoking God's blessing.
A Blessing of Wholeness
The common Jewish greeting, like 'Peace be with you' (drawing from the Hebrew word 'shalom'), meant far more than just the absence of conflict. It encompassed a holistic sense of well-being: spiritual, physical, and temporal blessings. When the disciples were told to bring 'peace' to a house, they were carrying a weighty spiritual gift from God.
Intentionality in Interaction
This wasn't a generic wish; it was an intentional impartation of divine favor. The greeting was the opening to the message they carried. It signaled that the messengers were bringing something of immense value – God's blessing and the good news of His kingdom.
The disciples were told to 'salute the house.' But what did 'house' really mean in this context?
When Jesus said 'salute it,' the word 'house' wasn't just referring to the physical structure. It was understood to represent the entire household – the family living within.
A Unified Welcome
This meant the greeting was directed towards everyone under that roof. The disciples were to bring God's peace not just to an individual, but to the core social unit of the family. This reflects the importance of family in biblical culture.
Ask a follow-up
Collective Blessing
By saluting the 'house,' the disciples were initiating a spiritual encounter for the whole family. This highlights how the message of the Gospel was intended to impact not just individuals, but entire households and communities.
Understand the original words
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The Hebrew concept of 'shalom' (peace) represents wholeness, well-being, harmony, and prosperity in a relational and spiritual sense. In the New Testament, it includes the peace with God brought through Christ.
Jesus' instruction to 'salute the house' was more than a polite greeting; it was a spiritual act, imbuing the home with a blessing of peace and invoking God's favor, a powerful counter-cultural act in a world often marked by division.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus commissions the Twelve Apostles
Jesus sends out his twelve disciples on a specific mission to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Early 1st century AD
Apostles travel throughout Galilee
The apostles carried out Jesus' instructions, traveling from town to town in the region of Galilee, announcing God's imminent kingdom.
Early 1st century AD
Persecution of early Christians predicted
Jesus warns his disciples that they will face opposition, rejection, and persecution from various groups, including Jewish leaders and Roman authorities.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central events of Christianity, which form the foundation of the apostles' message and authority after Jesus' ascension.
c. AD 33 onwards
Spread of the Early Church
Following Pentecost, the apostles and other believers began to spread the Christian message throughout Judea, Samaria, and eventually the wider Roman Empire.
This passage provides the fuller wording of the greeting, 'Peace be to this house,' highlighting the spiritual significance and promise inherent in the disciples' mission.
John 4:53This verse shows the impact of Jesus' message, illustrating how an entire 'house' or household believed and was blessed, mirroring the potential outcome of the disciples' greetings.
1 Peter 3:11This verse echoes the call to seek peace and pursue it, reminding us that politeness and goodwill, even in a greeting, are part of a righteous life.
Ruth 2:4This shows the practice of using 'Peace be with you' as a standard, respectful greeting in ancient times, demonstrating that Jesus was adapting common customs for a higher purpose.
barnesMatthew 10:12: "And when ye come into an house, salute it."
And when ye come into a house, salute it - The word "house" here evidently means "family," as it does in the following verse. See also Matthew 12:25, and John 4:53; "And himself believed and his whole house." The apostles were directed to salute the family - to show them the customary tokens of respect, and to treat them with civility. Religion never requires or permits its friends to outrage the common rules of social contact. It dema…
clarkeMatthew 10:12: "And when ye come into an house, salute it."
Salute it - Λεγουτες, ειρηνη εν τω οικω τουτω, saying, "Peace be to this house." This clause, which, as explanatory of the word ασπασασθε, is necessary to the connection in which it now stands, is added, by the MSS. D and L, and forty-three others, the Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, Saxon, Vulgate, all the copies of the old Itala, Theophylact, and Hilary. The clause is also found in several modern versions. The modern Greek has λεγοντες…
The instruction to "greet it" is more than a polite hello; it's a direct command to pronounce a blessing of "peace" upon the entire household, encompassing both the people and the place itself. This simple act, in the context of Christ's commission, carried the weight of invoking divine favor and prosperity, both spiritual and temporal, upon those who were receptive.
Jesus is sending his disciples out to share his message, instructing them to travel light and rely entirely on God's provision. Before they even start speaking, they are told to find a worthy person in each town and make their home with them, a practice meant to show hospitality and prepare the way for the Gospel. This sets the stage for their arrival, emphasizing that their initial contact should be one of peace and blessing to those who are receptive.
Jesus is sending his disciples out to share his message, instructing them to travel light and rely entirely on God's provision. Before they even start speaking, they are told to find a worthy person in each town and make their home with them, a practice meant to show hospitality and prepare the way for the Gospel. This sets the stage for their arrival, emphasizing that their initial contact should be one of peace and blessing to those who are receptive.
"As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you." — The instruction to "greet it" is more than a polite hello; it's a direct command to pronounce a blessing of "peace" upon the entire household, encompassing both the people and the place itself. Thi…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
