In the expression share your belongings with your needy brothers (New English Bible “contribute to the needs of God’s people”) the word brothers is a reference to one’s fellow Christians. Share your belongings with your needy brothers may be rendered in some languages as “give to your fellow Christians what they need” or “give what you have to your fellow Christians who do not have what they need.”

Open your homes to strangers is a reference to the necessity of exercising hospitality toward Christians who may be traveling from one place to another. In a time when public lodging places were few and often dangerous to stay in, this was an important expression of Christian love. A literal translation of open your homes to strangers may, however, be grossly misinterpreted. A more satisfactory equivalent may be “welcome into your homes Christians who are strangers” or “welcome into your homes as guests those who are traveling.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .