Matthew 10:13 kjv
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13 nkjv
If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13 niv
If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13 esv
And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13 nlt
If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.
Matthew 10 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 10:5-6 | Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it... | Parallel instruction on "peace" greeting and reception. |
| Num 6:26 | The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. | Source of divine peace blessing. |
| Ps 29:11 | The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. | God is the giver of strength and peace. |
| Isa 52:7 | How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace... | Messenger bringing peace, good news. |
| Hag 2:9 | The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts. | God's promised presence brings peace. |
| Zec 8:12 | ...for the seed of peace shall be there. | Prophetic promise of prosperity and peace. |
| Eph 2:14 | For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one... | Christ as the ultimate source of peace. |
| Col 3:15 | And let the peace of God rule in your hearts... | Peace as an internal, guiding principle. |
| Php 4:7 | And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts... | God's peace as a supernatural protection. |
| Jn 14:27 | Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives... | Christ's unique peace given to believers. |
| Matt 10:14 | And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. | Immediate follow-up for those who reject. |
| Matt 7:6 | Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine... | Do not offer sacred things to the unreceptive. |
| Acts 13:46 | Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it... we turn to the Gentiles." | Rejection leads to redirection of the message. |
| Prov 26:2 | Like a flitting sparrow, like a fluttering swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight. | Unmerited curses do not settle, echoing blessings returning. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth... So shall My word be... it shall not return to Me void... | God's word is effective; if it does not bless, it is because of rejection, not its own impotency. |
| Lk 8:12-15 | The seed is the word of God. The ones by the wayside... rock... thorns... good ground. | Parable of the Sower, illustrating varied receptivity to the Word. |
| 3 Jn 1:8 | We ought therefore to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. | Importance of hospitality for gospel workers. |
| Rom 12:13 | ...distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. | Call to hospitality in Christian living. |
| 1 Cor 9:14 | Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. | Supporting those who carry the message. |
| Acts 28:28 | Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it.” | The shift in ministry due to rejection. |
| Heb 4:1 | Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. | Rejection means missing God's intended rest (peace). |
| 2 Tim 3:7-8 | Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth... as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses... | Examples of resisting truth and messengers. |
| 2 Cor 2:15-16 | For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing... to the one the aroma of death to death, to the other the aroma of life to life. | The same message yields different outcomes based on reception. |
| Rev 3:20 | Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. | Invitation to Christ requires a willing response. |
| Jn 3:18 | He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already... | Consequences of belief vs. unbelief, relates to 'worthiness'. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 13 Meaning
Matthew 10:13 instructs the apostles on the dynamic nature of their greeting, which is laden with divine peace. If the household they enter proves receptive or "worthy" of the message and messengers, then the offered blessing of peace settles upon them. Conversely, if the household is unreceptive or "not worthy," the offered peace does not take root but returns to the apostles, safeguarding the sacred blessing from being cast upon those who refuse it. This highlights both the conditional nature of divine blessing based on human reception and the inviolability of God's gifts.
Matthew 10 13 Context
Matthew chapter 10 records Jesus' first detailed instructions to His twelve apostles before sending them out on their inaugural mission. The mission's scope is initially limited to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v. 6). Jesus grants them divine authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons (v. 8), emphasizing that this power is freely given and should be freely exercised. He then provides practical guidance on provisions, security, and conduct, knowing they would face varying receptions. Verse 12 instructs them to offer a greeting of "Peace to this house" upon entry. Verse 13 then elaborates on the spiritual consequence of that greeting, dependent on the house's reception. This instruction is foundational to how Kingdom blessings operate – they are extended freely but must be received intentionally. The immediate context of verses 12-14 forms a cohesive unit dealing with initial approach and subsequent action based on reception or rejection.
Matthew 10 13 Word analysis
- And if (κἀν - kan): A compound Greek conjunction formed from kai (and) and ean (if), denoting a condition or assumption. It sets up the primary conditional statement for the effectiveness of the greeting.
- the house (ἡ οἰκία - hē oikia): This term primarily refers not just to the physical dwelling, but culturally, to the household, including the family, servants, and all who live within it. It represents a unit of community and reception.
- is worthy (ἐστιν ἀξία - estin axia):
- Estin (ἐστιν): From the verb eimi, "to be" or "it is."
- Axia (ἀξία): Means "worthy," "deserving," or "suitable." In this context, it does not imply moral perfection or earning a blessing, but rather a receptivity to the message of peace and the messengers. It signifies a disposition of openness to God's Kingdom and its ambassadors.
- let your peace come upon it (ἐλθέτω ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν ἐπ’ αὐτήν - elthetō hē eirēnē hymōn ep' autēn):
- Elthetō (ἐλθέτω): Third person singular imperative of erchomai (to come). "Let it come." It is a command that implies divine agency and spiritual reality.
- Hē eirēnē hymōn (ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν): "Your peace." Eirēnē (εἰρήνη) translates the Hebrew concept of Shalom, meaning comprehensive well-being, wholeness, prosperity, harmony, health, security, and above all, peace with God. It's more than the absence of conflict; it's the divine presence and blessing. This "peace" is their peace because they carry Christ's peace (Jn 14:27), being His representatives.
- Ep' autēn (ἐπ’ αὐτήν): "Upon it" (the house/household), indicating that the peace will settle or rest upon that unit.
- but if it is not worthy (ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ ἀξία - ean de mē ē axia):
- Ean de mē (ἐὰν δὲ μή): "But if not." Introduces the counter-condition.
- Ē (ᾖ): From eimi, "to be," in the subjunctive mood.
- Axia (ἀξία): Again, "worthy" or "receptive."
- let your peace return to you (ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιστραφήτω - hē eirēnē hymōn pros hymas epistraphētō):
- Epistraphētō (ἐπιστραφήτω): Third person singular imperative of epistrephō (to turn back, return). "Let it be turned back." This signifies that the blessing is not wasted or lost. It is not dispersed into thin air but purposefully redirected.
- Pros hymas (πρὸς ὑμᾶς): "To you." The peace returns to the messengers who offered it.
Matthew 10 13 Bonus section
The concept of a blessing or curse "returning" to the sender if not received by the intended recipient has parallels in ancient Jewish thought, particularly in rabbinic teachings. It implies that spiritual energies, good or ill, have a tangible reality and consequence. For the disciples, this teaching was empowering, as it meant their "peace" (Shalom) carried substantial weight and would not be squandered. This dynamic also provides pastoral guidance: when ministering, one should genuinely offer the blessing and message, but discern responsiveness. If a blessing is not accepted, the missionary is absolved of responsibility for its outcome on that particular person or house, and the spiritual virtue they expended returns to them, preventing spiritual depletion and allowing them to proceed unburdened to the next receptive individual. It's an economy of grace and spiritual resource.
Matthew 10 13 Commentary
This verse encapsulates a crucial principle of God's kingdom: blessings are not coerced but offered to the receptive heart. The apostles' "peace" is not a mere pleasantry but a genuine spiritual deposit, imbued with divine power and Christ's own essence. "Worthiness" here is a functional term, referring to the house's willingness to welcome both the messenger and, more importantly, the message of the Kingdom. When accepted, this peace brings holistic well-being to the entire household. However, if met with disinterest or rejection, the divine principle is that sacred blessings, particularly those carrying the very essence of God's Kingdom, will not alight on unwilling ground. Instead, the peace, which emanates from Christ through His sent ones, will return to its source. This prevents the devaluation of spiritual gifts and reinforces the spiritual efficacy of the apostles' prayers and blessings. It also provides comfort and clarity for the missionaries: their efforts are never truly in vain; the blessing either rests upon the receptive or returns to empower the sender.