The commandment to greet one another with a holy kiss occurs several times (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 1 Peter 5:14).  When the elders of Ephesus said goodbye to Paul it is recorded that, “they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him” (Acts 20:37).

It is not unusual in Britain for sisters to kiss one another in greeting; occasionally brothers and sisters kiss one another.  Brothers almost never kiss brothers.  In the New Testament passages quoted there seems no hint of such reserve.  It is noticeable however that practice varies from country to country.  We tend to greet people with a handshake (nowhere mentioned in the Bible) which is intended to convey sincerity by the intimacy of touch. In many western countries kissing is a normal method of greeting between the same sex and the opposite sex.  As on most other practices in the New Testament, the commandment in its application to us today is in the principle to give a warm welcome, not in the literal detail.