φιλόξενος
philóxenos
G5382 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Having a love for guests or strangers, displaying hospitality; primarily denotes a willingness and eagerness to welcome and care for visitors, especially those not part of one's household or community. In certain contexts, may indicate an attitude of generosity or openness toward outsiders, not limited to offering food or lodging but encompassing a general disposition toward guest-friendship and benevolence.
Semantic Range
hospitable, fond of guests, welcoming to strangers, practicing hospitality, generous toward outsiders
Root / Etymology
From φίλος (friend, loving) + ξένος (stranger, guest); a compound formed in classical and Hellenistic Greek to describe someone who is friendly or welcoming toward strangers.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Classically attested, φιλόξενος was used to characterize individuals or societies known for their practice of hospitality, especially toward those outside the immediate familial or tribal circle. In the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman context, hospitality (ξενία) was a core social value, often reciprocated and institutionalized through guest-friendship. In the Septuagint and New Testament, φιλόξενος arises particularly as a virtue expected of leaders (e.g., elders, overseers in 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8), reflecting an ethical expectation from Israelite traditions (cf. Genesis 18, Leviticus 19:34) and broader Greco-Roman social ideals. Traditional English renderings like 'given to hospitality' or 'hospitable' capture core aspects but may understate the personal initiative or affection implied by the Greek; the term emphasizes proactive generosity rather than passive receptivity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from φίλος and ξένος; fond of guests, i.e. hospitable:--given to (lover of, use) hospitality.
Root Family
φιλόξενος (philoxenos) — to love strangers, to befriend guests, to show hospitality, to welcome outsiders
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5382-02 |
φιλόξενον | philoxenon | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
hospitable | a stranger-loving man | a stranger-loving man | 2 |
G5382-01 |
φιλόξενοι | philoxenoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
hospitable | lovers of strangers | lovers of strangers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5382-02 |
1 Timothy 3:2 | φιλόξενον | philoxenon | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
hospitable | a stranger-loving man | hospitable |
G5382-02 |
Titus 1:8 | φιλόξενον | philoxenon | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
hospitable | a stranger-loving man | a stranger-loving man |
G5382-01 |
1 Peter 4:9 | φιλόξενοι | philoxenoi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
hospitable | lovers of strangers | lovers of strangers |