Jesus enters a village where a woman named Martha welcomes him into her home.

Martha’s sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet listening to what he says.

Martha, meanwhile, becomes distracted by the work of serving.

Eventually she approaches Jesus and asks whether he cares that her sister has left her to do the work alone. She asks him to tell Mary to help.

Jesus answers Martha by repeating her name and identifying her worry and distraction over many things.

He says that one thing is necessary and that Mary has chosen the better portion, which will not be taken from her.

The passage does not condemn hospitality itself; Martha’s welcome begins the scene. The contrast is between distracted anxiety and the posture of a disciple receiving Jesus’ words.

John later portrays both sisters again in the story of Lazarus, where Martha gives one of the Gospel’s strongest confessions of faith and Mary meets Jesus in grief.