I
coveted no one’s silver, or gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.
Acts 20:33-34
Acts 20 [17.] From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
Acts 20 [25.] “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver, or gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 20 [36.] When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Meaning:
Paul has warned the Ephesian elders about wolves who would come for the flock and entrusted them “to God, and to the word of his grace” (Acts 20:32). Now he turns to a practical matter that tests every leader: money. In two sentences he reminds them how he handled possessions and work during his years among them.
- “I coveted no one’s silver, or gold, or clothing”
In the ancient world, silver, gold and fine clothing were the main forms of wealth. Paul could say that he had not desired any of it from them. The tenth commandment forbids coveting “anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17). His words also recall Samuel’s farewell, when he asked Israel, “Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded?” (1 Samuel 12:3). Both leaders could appeal to the people’s own knowledge of their honesty.
This was especially important in Ephesus. Demetrius had openly said, “by this business we have our wealth” (Acts 19:25), and Paul knew that some false teachers would come “for dishonest gain’s sake” (Titus 1:11). An overseer must be “not greedy for money” (1 Timothy 3:3). By his example Paul showed the elders how to be different.
- “These hands served my necessities”
Perhaps Paul held up his hands as he spoke, hands hardened by years of tent making (Acts 18:3). He had the right to be supported by those he taught: “the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News” (1 Corinthians 9:14). Yet he often chose not to use this right, “that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12). He told the Corinthians, “We toil, working with our own hands” (1 Corinthians 4:12), and reminded the Thessalonians that he worked “night and day, that we might not burden any of you” (1 Thessalonians 2:9; see also 2 Thessalonians 3:7-8).
- “And those who were with me”
Paul’s work did not only provide for himself. His earnings supported his companions as well. He was a giver, not a taker. The next words make the lesson explicit: by labouring in this way, they should help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
The Significance of Acts 20:33-34
- Freedom from the love of money
Christian leaders and all believers are called to “Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have” (Hebrews 13:5). Greed damages trust and dishonours the Good News.
- The dignity of work
Paul, an apostle, worked with his hands. Ordinary labour is honourable and can itself be a form of service to God and witness to others.
- Working in order to give
Paul worked not to accumulate but to provide for others. Scripture teaches the same purpose for work: “producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).
Cross-References:
1 Samuel 12:3: "Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded?" Samuel’s similar farewell.
1 Corinthians 4:12: "We toil, working with our own hands." Paul’s self-supporting ministry.
Hebrews 13:5: "Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have," Contentment instead of covetousness.
Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The teaching of Jesus that Paul lived out.
Conclusion: Paul reminded the Ephesian elders that he had never coveted anyone’s silver, gold or clothing, and that his own hands had supplied his needs and those of his companions. His example stood against the greed of Demetrius and of false teachers to come. The passage calls leaders and all believers to integrity with money, honest work and generous giving.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible