Whatever city or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy to receive you, and stay there until you leave.
With these words Jesus sets in order the practical course of apostolic ministry, showing that the servants of the Gospel should choose people who are welcoming and peaceable in heart, in whose home, by staying there, they can carry out their mission in that place in a steady way. Being “worthy” refers not to outward status, but to hospitality and a heart opened in faith, and remaining in the same house until departing emphasizes the dignity and devotion of the ministry, avoiding going from one house to another. In this way the Gospel will be preached in an atmosphere of the community’s support and trust, and the receiving home becomes a partner in the ministry in response to the Lord’s work.