Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. Content In the original Greek according to Westcott-Hort for this verse is: Ὁ δεχόμενος προφήτην εἰς ὄνομα προφήτου μισθὸν προφήτου λήψεται· καὶ ὁ δεχόμενος δίκαιον εἰς ὄνομα δικαίου μισθὸν δικαίου λήψεται. In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. The New International Version translates the passage as: Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. Analysis Lapide believes that here Christ is referring to the apostles as prophets, since they were teaching and preaching of the Gospel, and in earlier times prophets not only predicted the future, but also taught the people. The reward of a prophet has been interpreted in a number of ways. It appears to allude to a similar rule in the old law of war. “There shall be an equal share to him who goes down into the battle with him who remains by the baggage. They shall alike divide the spoils.” (1 Sam. 30:24). St. Jerome believed that the one that helps a prophet receives the gift of prophecy itself, since the prophet Obadiah obtained it because he fed the prophets with bread and water during the persecution of Jezebel. Commentary from the Church Fathers Chrysostom: " A further reward also He promises, saying, He who receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward. He said not merely, Whoso receiveth a prophet, or a righteous man, but in the name of a prophet, and in the name of a righteous man; that is, not for any greatness in this life, or other temporal account, but because he is a prophet, or a righteous man." Jerome: " Otherwise; To this His exhortation to the disciple to entertain his teacher, there might a secret objection arise among the faithful; then shall we have to support the false prophets, or Judas the traitor. To this end it is that