Paragraph 10:40–42

10:40a

He who receives you receives Me: In this context, the word receives refers to giving hospitality to someone. It refers to taking people into one’s house and caring for them by feeding them or helping them as they need it.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Whoever accepts you also accepts me (New Century Version)

The words receives Me are somewhat figurative in meaning. The disciples were messengers of Jesus. So when someone received one of them into his house, it was as if this person received Jesus into his house. If people in your area will understand the words receives Me only in the sense of Jesus physically entering the house, you may want to make some changes. For example:

The person who takes care of you, it is as if he takes care of me.

10:40b

he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me: The phrase the One who sent Me refers to God the Father. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

he who receives me receives ⌊the father⌋, who sent me

-or-

he who welcomes me welcomes ⌊God the Father⌋. He sent me.

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