Matthew 10:13 · Bible study
Matthew 10:13 Commentary: When Blessing Is Refused
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of the 'peace' in Jesus' missionary charge: does it mean a cultural greeting or a spiritual blessing that either rests or returns?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Peace is a divine blessing that either rests on a welcoming household or returns to the one who offered it.
- Key words: axios (worthy), befitting, deserving; eirēnē (peace), wholeness, prosperity, salvation; epistrephō (return), to turn back, aorist passive imperative: 'let it be turned back'.
- Main debate: Is this peace a cultural salutation of well-being (Calvin) or a deeper gospel peace of reconciliation (Clarke, Gill, JFB)?
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God's blessing paired with human responsibility in receiving or rejecting it.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of Christian witness, hospitality, and the assurance that God's peace is never wasted.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.
KJV King James Version 1769
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and if indeed the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; and if it be not worthy, let your peace turn back to you.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And if the house indeed be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y si la casa fuere digna, vuestra paz vendrá sobre ella; mas si no fuere digna, vuestra paz se volverá á vosotros.
Se a casa for digna, venha sobre ela a vossa paz; mas se ela não for digna, volte para vós a vossa paz.
et, si la maison en est digne, que votre paix vienne sur elle; mais si elle n’ en est pas digne, que votre paix retourne à vous.
und so es das Haus wert ist, wird euer Friede auf sie kommen. Ist es aber nicht wert, so wird sich euer Friede wieder zu euch wenden.
En indien dat huis waardig is, zo kome uw vrede over hetzelve, maar indien het niet waardig is, zo kere uw vrede weder tot u.
E se quella casa n’è degna, venga la pace vostra su lei: se poi non ne è degna la vostra pace torni a voi.
A jeźliby on dom tego był godny, niech na niego przyjdzie pokój wasz; a jeźliby nie był godny, pokój wasz niech się wróci do was.
и если дом будет достоин, то мир ваш придет на него; если же не будет достоин, то мир ваш к вам возвратится.
那家 若 配 得平安，你們 所求的平安 就必臨 到 那家； 若 不 配 得，你們 所求的平安 仍歸 你們。
And if the house is good enough, let your peace come on it: but if not, let your peace come back to you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 10:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the 'peace' in this verse originates in the Jewish greeting of shalom, a prayer for wholeness, prosperity, and well-being. Wesley notes that if the house is worthy, 'God shall give them the peace you wish them,' while Clarke sees it as blessings that come upon the family 'in their bodies, souls, and substance.' Calvin insists the apostles brought 'a different kind of peace' beyond the standard salutation, though he considers it an over-refinement to read it as full gospel reconciliation. Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown connect the peace to the apostolic salutation itself, with Gill specifying that the things desired in that greeting come upon the worthy. The shared ground: the disciples' greeting carries genuine spiritual weight, and its effect depends on the household's reception.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Cultural salutation: Grammatical and cultural context: the Jewish greeting of 'shalom' as a prayer for welfare; Calvin argues it is too speculative to read gospel reconciliation here.
- Gospel peace: The parallel in Luke 10:6 (son of peace) and the context of proclaiming the kingdom; Clarke and JFB see a deeper spiritual reality behind the greeting.
What is clear: Regardless of interpretation, the peace is a genuine, divinely empowered blessing that either rests on a receptive household or returns to the messenger.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the peace | The peace originates as a Jewish greeting invoking God's favor and includes tangible well-being. | Some (Calvin) see it primarily as a cultural salutation; others (Clarke, JFB) believe it refers to the gospel peace of reconciliation with God. |
| Meaning of 'worthy' | Worthiness is shown by receiving the apostles and their greeting; it is not about human merit but openness to God's message. | Whether worthiness is a moral quality or simply a disposition to welcome the apostles (Lange: 'susceptible, or pious Israelites'). |
| Return of the peace | If the household rejects the greeting, the blessing does not disappear but reverts to the apostles. | Does the peace 'return' as a blessing that enriches the apostles (Gill, Clarke) or as a sign that no further fellowship should occur (Lange)? Both are held. |
| Implications for judgment | Rejecting the peace and the apostles brings greater accountability than that of Sodom and Gomorrah (v.15). | Whether the peace itself, when rejected, becomes a witness against the household, or whether the judgment is primarily for rejecting the message of the kingdom. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Jewish culture, the greeting 'Peace be to this house' (Luke 10:5) was far more than a polite hello. The Hebrew word shalom meant complete welfare, health, prosperity, security, and right relationship with God. When an apostle entered a home and offered peace, he was invoking God's favour on the entire household.
Jesus gives specific instructions for this mission. The apostles are to travel without supplies (vv.9-10), relying entirely on hospitality. They are to 'inquire who in it is worthy' (v.11), a person who is open to the message, a 'son of peace' as Luke puts it. The household's worthiness is shown by its reception of the apostles and their greeting. If the household welcomes them, the peace they pronounced 'comes upon' it, meaning God ratifies their blessing. If the household refuses them, the peace 'returns' to the apostles, it does not vanish; it rebounds to the one who offered it.
This pattern reflects the sacred duty of hospitality in the ancient Near East. To welcome a messenger was to welcome the one who sent him. To refuse was to reject the sender. The parallel action of shaking off dust (v.14) underscores the seriousness: the household that rejects the apostles' peace brings judgment on itself, more severe than that of Sodom and Gomorrah (v.15). The peace is not a vague wish but a real transaction between God, the messenger, and the receiver.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 10:13. The Greek text is stable across manuscript traditions. The minor difference in the YLT ('turn back' vs. 'return') reflects translation choice, not manuscript variation.
Reception History
The early church read this passage as part of the apostolic mission pattern, emphasizing the power of blessing and the seriousness of rejection. Monastic communities used it to instruct traveling missionaries on how to handle hospitality. During the Reformation, commentators like Calvin and Wesley stressed the theme of God's sovereignty: blessing accompanies the messenger and is not wasted even when refused. In modern missions, this verse has been used to encourage workers whose efforts seem fruitless, the peace they offer still has effect, either on the household or returning to them. It has also been cited in discussions on church discipline and the practice of greeting as a spiritual act.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Peace is offered. The apostles entered households with a greeting that carried God's blessing. Our words and presence as Christ's messengers still carry weight, they can bring peace to those who are open.
- Peace is received or refused. The worthiness of the house is not about moral perfection but openness to the gospel. Some welcome; some do not. The response determines the effect of the blessing.
- Peace that is refused returns. The blessing is not wasted. What is rejected by one household rebounds to the messenger. God ensures that no genuine offering of peace is lost.
Five-point outline
- The context of the charge: Jesus sends the twelve without provisions, relying on the hospitality and openness of those they visit (vv.9-11).
- The act of greeting: 'Salute the house', a culturally significant act of blessing that goes beyond politeness.
- The condition of worthiness: The household's readiness to receive the apostles and their message determines the outcome.
- The transfer of peace: If worthy, peace 'comes upon' the house; if not, peace 'returns' to the apostles.
- The escalated warning: Rejection of peace leads to dust-shaking and judgment, showing the high stakes of how we treat Christ's messengers (vv.14-15).
Illustration hooks
- An unwanted gift. You give a present expecting joy, but it is refused or ignored. You might feel awkward, but the gift is still yours. The intention was real, and the value does not diminish because it was not received.
- A returned letter. You write a heartfelt note and mail it. If the address is wrong, it comes back to you. The message was sincere, and it finds its way home. So it is with the peace we offer in Christ's name.
- Weather patterns. When rain falls on dry soil, it soaks in and brings life. If it falls on rock, it runs off or evaporates. The rain itself is the same; the ground makes the difference. God's blessing is consistent; our openness determines what it produces.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do some of my prayers for people seem to have no effect? Does God still honor them?
- How can I tell if someone or a household is 'worthy' to receive blessing?
- What does it mean to 'take back' a blessing? Can I really retract my goodwill?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of Jesus' instructions to the twelve as he sends them out to proclaim the kingdom. The peace they offer is not just a polite phrase; it is a spiritual blessing that either rests on a household or returns to the one who gave it. Read Matthew 10:5-15 together. Then consider what this says about the weight of our words, the openness of those we encounter, and God's faithfulness in blessing.
Discussion questions
- What does the word 'peace' mean in the biblical sense of shalom? How does this go beyond our English idea of 'absence of conflict'?
- What makes a household 'worthy' according to the context? How does Luke 10:6 help define it?
- How does the disciples' lack of provisions (vv.9-10) relate to the importance of the peace greeting? What does it reveal about trust?
- What does it mean that the peace 'returns' to the disciples if rejected? Does the blessing lose its power, or is it redirected?
- How does this passage challenge our view of evangelism and hospitality today? In what ways do we 'salute' the homes we enter?
- What comfort is there for someone whose efforts to share God's peace seem to be refused or ignored?
- How does the warning about Sodom and Gomorrah (v.15) affect the seriousness of receiving the gospel? Does it change how you pray for those who reject it?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 35:13 | But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. |
| Luke 10:6 | If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. |
| II Corinthians 2:16 | to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the tangible benefit believers gain even from rejection. If a household rejects the message, the peace the disciples offered returns to them, so they lose nothing. On the contrary, God turns every trial, disappointment and insult into something that serves their best interests.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes resolves the apparent contradiction between Matthew and Mark by focusing on the core instruction: the apostles were to go just as they were, trusting Providence rather than spending time making preparations. Those who already had staves could take them, but those without were not to procure them.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that the "peace" in this passage refers to the ordinary Jewish salutation wishing prosperity, not the deeper theological peace of reconciliation with God. He rejects reading free reconciliation between God and men into the text, calling that an overly refined speculation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva gloss teaches that the disciples' spoken blessing of peace is not empty or wasted. If a house rejects the message, the peace pronounced over it does not vanish; it returns to the messenger, so nothing given from God is ever lost.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the peace the apostles offered was not the Gospel itself but the blessing spoken in their greeting. This peace would come upon a house only if the family proved worthy by showing hospitality. If they were unworthy, the blessing would return to the apostles instead.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that when Christ's messengers offer the greeting "Peace," it carries a real, divine gift far beyond a customary eastern salutation. If a household rejects this peace, it returns to the messenger, who will value it all the more for having been freely offered, even in the face of refusal.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the disciples were to seek out worthy heads of families, because the gospel is meant to bless entire households through them. The peace they offer either rests on a worthy household or returns to them, and rejection breaks the natural family unity that Christ intended to receive His message.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that the peace offered to a household either rests on those who are worthy or returns to the one who gave it. The same principle applies when we pray for people who are not worthy: the blessing God intended for them comes back to us instead.