Hebrews 13:1

Brotherly love (piladelpia). Late word from piladelpo ( 1 Peter 3:8 ). See 1 Thessalonians 4:9 . It is always in order in a church. To show love unto strangers (th piloxenia). Old word for hospitality, from piloxeno ( 1 Timothy 3:2 ), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:3 . In genitive case with epilanqanesqe (present middle imperative, cf. Hebrews 6:10 ). Have entertained angels unawares (elaqon xenisante aggelou). Second aorist active indicative of lanqanw, old verb to escape notice and first aorist active participle of xenizw, old verb to entertain a guest (xeno, stranger), according to a classic idiom seen with lanqanw, tugcanw, pqanw, by which the chief idea is expressed by the participle (supplementary participle), here meaning, "some escaped notice when entertaining angels." The reference is to Genesis 18 ; Genesis 19 (Abraham and Sarah did this very thing).