This page gives you Bible verses about welcoming strangers, along with short reflections on how each one applies to everyday hospitality, whether you are opening your home, greeting a new face at church, or simply learning to see the person you do not yet know. It is written for Christians who want Scripture to shape how they treat people who are new, unfamiliar or far from home. These verses share a common thread: God cares about the outsider, and He calls His people to reflect that care.
Verses for Remembering Who Was Once a Stranger
Many of the most direct commands to welcome strangers rest on a simple memory: Israel itself was once foreign, enslaved and far from home. These verses ask you to remember your own beginnings before you decide how to treat someone who arrives unfamiliar. The motive is gratitude, not guilt.
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.
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This passage tells Israel not to wrong a foreigner living among them and to love him as themselves. Before your next interaction with someone new, pause and ask what it would have meant to you to be treated this way when you first arrived somewhere unfamiliar.
Hebrews 13:2
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
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The writer reminds believers that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Treat this as an invitation to expect that the person you are meeting may carry more significance than you can see, and let that expectation soften how you greet them today.
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.
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Here God is described as one who loves the stranger and provides food and clothing for him, and His people are told to do the same. When you feel reluctant to help someone who seems like an outsider, recall that God Himself is the example you are called to follow.
Verses for Opening Your Home and Table
Hospitality in Scripture is often practical: food, a bed, a place at the table. These verses speak to the ordinary generosity of sharing what you have, and they encourage you to see your home as a place where strangers can become friends.
Romans 12:13
Contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
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Paul lists hospitality alongside sharing with the needy, showing that it is a normal part of a Christian life rather than an occasional extra. Consider one specific way to practice it this week, such as inviting a new neighbor or coworker for a simple meal.
1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
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Peter asks believers to be hospitable to one another without complaining. Notice whether your welcome carries grumbling, and ask God to make your generosity cheerful, so that the person at your door feels genuinely wanted.
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.
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In this passage Jesus says that welcoming a stranger is a way of welcoming Him. When you prepare a room or set an extra place, do it as if you were preparing for Christ Himself, and let that change the care you put into small details.
Verses for Facing Fear of the Unfamiliar
Many people hold back from strangers out of wariness, shyness or simple fear of what they do not know. These verses speak to that hesitation, reminding you that God’s presence gives you courage to open the door.
Hebrews 13:1
Let brotherly love continue.
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The writer begins with a call to keep loving one another as brothers and sisters, and he connects it to hospitality. When fear makes you want to stay closed, return to this call and ask where you can take one small step toward the person in front of you.
Ephesians 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God…
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Paul says that those once far off are now fellow citizens and members of God’s household. Use this truth to see the person you are meeting as someone who belongs in the same family of faith, even if you have just met them.
Psalm 146:9
The LORD preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
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The psalmist says the Lord watches over the strangers and sustains the fatherless and widow. When you feel anxious about who might arrive, remember that God is already watching over the vulnerable, and that you are invited to join Him in that care.
Verses for Making Room Within the Church
A church is often where a newcomer first encounters a community of believers. These verses encourage you to make space for people who are new to the faith or new to your congregation, so that no one stays a stranger for long.
Romans 15:7
Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.
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Paul urges believers to welcome one another as Christ welcomed them, and he ties this to bringing glory to God. Ask yourself whether there is someone in your church you have overlooked, and make a deliberate effort to greet them by name next Sunday.
Acts 2:46-47
46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
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This passage describes the early believers sharing meals with glad and sincere hearts, and the Lord adding to their number daily. Let it remind you that open fellowship is not only kind but also part of how the church grows.
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.
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Paul asks believers to walk wisely toward outsiders and to let their speech be gracious and seasoned with salt. Practice this by choosing a warm, unhurried greeting for someone you do not know, asking a simple question and listening to the answer.
Galatians 6:10
So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
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Paul tells believers to do good to all people, especially to those of the household of faith. Let this verse guide you to be generous to everyone you meet while giving particular attention to the brothers and sisters who may be quietly new among you.
How to Use These Verses
Write one or two of these verses on a card and place it somewhere you will see it before you go out, such as by the front door, on the bathroom mirror or in your car. A verse read in the morning often shapes how you approach the first stranger you meet, so choose the one that speaks most directly to your current situation.
You can also pray these verses before a gathering, a church service or a meal with guests. Name the specific person or kind of person you hope to welcome, and ask God to give you warmth and wisdom. Revisit the verses afterward and notice where the Spirit has been at work in small ways.
A Short Prayer for Welcoming Strangers
Lord, you welcomed me when I was far from you, and I am grateful for that kindness. Help me to remember my own beginnings whenever I meet someone new. Open my home, my table and my heart to people I do not yet know. Where I feel fear or hesitation, give me courage, and where I feel tired or distracted, give me patience. May the people I meet feel that they belong to you and to your people. Amen.
