Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just say to give when there's a need, but to share in those needs, making your brother's necessity your own. It also urges believers to actively pursue hospitality, not just offer it passively when asked.
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is calling believers to live out their faith practically, flowing from the deep truths of God's mercy he just laid out. This isn't about abstract theology but about concrete actions like sharing resources and opening their homes, reflecting the community and selflessness Christ embodies. These actions are meant to build up fellow believers, especially those facing hardship or displacement common in the early church.
The early church faced real hardship. Paul's instruction isn't just about giving money; it's about stepping into someone else's struggle.
The Greek word for 'contribute' or 'distributing' here (koinōneō) is rich with meaning. It speaks of sharing in something, having fellowship, or communicating.
This isn't a one-way street of charity, but a mutual participation. When Paul says 'contribute to the necessities of the saints,' he's calling believers to share in the needs themselves. Imagine experiencing a friend's hunger as if it were your own, or feeling the chill of their poverty.
This radical idea was foundational in the early church, where believers often held possessions in common. While the exact practice may differ today, the heart of the command remains: to see the struggles of fellow believers not as distant problems, but as shared realities that call for our active participation and generosity.
Hospitality wasn't just a nice idea; it was an active pursuit, especially vital when fellow believers faced persecution.
The second part of the verse urges believers to be 'given to hospitality.' The Greek word used here (philoxenia) literally means 'love of strangers.' However, the verb Paul employs (diōkō) is powerful – it means to pursue, chase after, or eagerly seek.
This wasn't passive waiting for someone to knock on the door. It was an intentional, energetic seeking out of opportunities to welcome and care for others. In the context of the first-century church, many Christians were displaced, persecuted, or traveling for the faith. Hospitality was a lifeline, offering safety, food, and fellowship.
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Paul's command reminds us that genuine Christian love isn't content to rest; it actively looks for ways to extend kindness, especially to those who are vulnerable or strangers, embodying Christ's own welcoming heart.
Understand the original words
hagios · Greek Noun
"Holy ones"; believers set apart by God for His purpose. This term emphasizes the status and collective identity of Christians as people belonging to God.
philoxenia · Greek Noun
Love for strangers. In a biblical context, it refers specifically to the active practice of showing kindness, provision, and welcome to fellow believers and others.
The early church, especially in Rome, faced significant economic hardship and social upheaval due to expulsions, famine, and persecution. This context makes Paul's call to 'contribute to the needs of the saints' and 'show hospitality' not just spiritual ideals, but vital acts of survival and community solidarity.
c. AD 49
Claudius Expels Jews from Rome
Emperor Claudius expels many Jews, including early Christians, from Rome due to disturbances related to 'Chrestus'. This would have caused significant hardship and displacement for affected believers.
c. AD 50-60
Famine in Judea
A severe famine grips Judea, causing widespread poverty and distress among the Jewish population, including Christian communities there.
c. AD 62-64— this verse
Persecution of Christians in Rome
Under Emperor Nero, Christians in Rome face increasing suspicion and persecution, potentially leading to loss of property, jobs, and social standing for believers.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
The devastating fire in Rome leads to widespread destruction and chaos, likely exacerbating the already difficult circumstances for many Roman citizens, including Christians.
This passage describes the early Christians having all things in common and sharing generously, highlighting the deep sense of community and mutual support that underlies the instruction in Romans 12:13.
Galatians 6:10Paul directly encourages believers to 'do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to the family of believers,' which amplifies the specific call to care for 'saints' in Romans 12:13.
1 Timothy 5:8This verse emphasizes the responsibility to provide for one's own household, which sets a foundational principle for caring for the needy within the broader community of faith mentioned in Romans 12:13.
Hebrews 13:2This passage directly parallels the call to hospitality in Romans 12:13, warning believers not to 'forget to show hospitality' and reminding them of its potential blessings, including unknowingly entertaining angels.
1 Peter 4:9Peter echoes the sentiment of Romans 12:13 by urging believers to 'offer hospitality to one another without grumbling,' reinforcing that this practice is a vital expression of love within the Christian community.
ellicottRomans 12:13: "Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
(13) Distributing to the necessity of saints. —By “saints” is here meant simply “Christians.” So, in Ephesians 1:1 , we find the salutation addressed to the “saints which are at Ephesus.” (Comp. Acts 9:13 ; Acts 26:10 .) The reference is to the well-known poverty of the early Christian communities. Necessity.—Some of the Græco-Latin manuscripts and fathers here read, memories, or commemorations, by a slight change of…
vincentRomans 12:13: "Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
Distributing (κοινωνοῦντες)Rev., communicating to. The meaning is sharing in the necessities; taking part in them as one's own. So Romans 15:27; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 John 1:11; Hebrews 2:14; 1 Peter 4:13. See on partners, Luke 5:10; see on fellowship, Acts 2:42; see on 1 John 1:3; see on 2 John 1:11.Given to hospitality (φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες)Lit., pursuing hospitality. For a similar use of the verb compare 1 Corinthi…
The verse doesn't just say to give when there's a need, but to share in those needs, making your brother's necessity your own. It also urges believers to actively pursue hospitality, not just offer it passively when asked.
Paul is calling believers to live out their faith practically, flowing from the deep truths of God's mercy he just laid out. This isn't about abstract theology but about concrete actions like sharing resources and opening their homes, reflecting the community and selflessness Christ embodies. These actions are meant to build up fellow believers, especially those facing hardship or displacement common in the early church.
Paul is calling believers to live out their faith practically, flowing from the deep truths of God's mercy he just laid out. This isn't about abstract theology but about concrete actions like sharing resources and opening their homes, reflecting the community and selflessness Christ embodies. These actions are meant to build up fellow believers, especially those facing hardship or displacement common in the early church.
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." — The verse doesn't just say to give when there's a need, but to share in those needs, making your brother's necessity your own. It also urges believers to actively pursue hospitality, not just o…
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Last reviewed October 2026