ξενία
xenía
G3578 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The act of receiving a guest; hospitality shown to a visitor (stranger or guest), often in the form of providing lodging or accommodation. In some contexts, may refer specifically to the guest-friend relationship or the place where guests are hosted (a guest room, lodging). Primary sense is the provision of guest care or the act of hosting.
Semantic Range
hospitality, act of receiving guests, guest-friendship, hosting strangers, provision of lodging or accommodations, a place of lodging, guest room
Root / Etymology
From ξένος (xenos, 'stranger, guest, foreigner') + -ία (nominal suffix). The root ξεν- relates to concepts of strangeness, foreignness, and guest-friendship in Greek culture.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ξενία refers broadly to the institution or practice of hospitality, particularly the reciprocal obligations of host and guest (xenia/guest-friendship), an important aspect of Greek social norms. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the meaning extends to the practical arrangements for hosting travelers, including the provision of lodging or accommodations. The word occurs infrequently in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 28:23; Philemon 22), where it typically denotes a place prepared for guests or the act of showing hospitality. In Septuagint and other Greek-Jewish literature, 'hospitality' (ξενία) continues to carry the ethical sense of caring for strangers, a virtue praised in Jewish tradition. English translations often render it as 'hospitality' or 'lodging,' but may not always reflect the full social or reciprocal nuance of ancient xenia. Contrast: φιλοξενία (philoxenia, 'love of strangers, hospitality') which emphasizes the positive disposition toward guests or strangers rather than the act or institution itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ξένος; hospitality, i.e. (by implication) a place of entertainment:--lodging.
Root Family
ξεν- (xenía) — stranger, guest, foreigner; to receive, to host
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3578-01 |
ξενίαν | xenian | N ACC F SG |
a guest room | hospitality | a guest room | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3578-01 |
Acts 28:23 | ξενίαν | xenian | N ACC F SG |
lodging | hospitality | lodging |
G3578-01 |
Philemon 1:22 | ξενίαν | xenian | N ACC F SG |
a guest room | hospitality | a guest room |