Romans 12:13

Romans 12:13. Being sharers in the necessities of the saints; taking part in these necessities as your own; hence relieving them. ‘Communicating' is inexact, as also in Galatians 6:6; comp. Romans 15:17, where the verb occurs in the same sense as here. (Some manuscripts present a curious variation in this clause, substituting for ‘necessities' a word which refers to the days consecrated to the commemoration of martyrs; apparently an intentional corruption of the text.) All Christians are included under the term ‘saints.'

Given to hospitality, lit., ‘pursuing hospitality.' This virtue is frequently enjoined in the New Testament (see marginal references), and was especially necessary in those days, when Christians were persecuted and banished. The early church responded to the precept. ‘He does not say, practising, but pursuing, teaching us not to wait for those that are in need, but rather to run after them and track them out' (Chrysostom). While this presses the sense of the word, it is a fair inference.