Acts 20:35 Meaning and Explanation
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul leaves the church with a saying of Jesus found nowhere else: there is deeper joy in giving than in receiving.
The Context of Acts 20:35
Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, knowing he will likely never see them again (verse 25). He has just reminded them that he worked with his own hands rather than coveting anyone's silver (verses 33-34), and he closes with these words of the Lord Jesus.
What Does Acts 20:35 Mean?
Paul is saying goodbye to men he loves, leaders he had taught for years, and he wants to leave them with the heart of how to live. He points to his own example of hard work that supported not only himself but the weak among them, those who could not provide for themselves. Then he reaches past his own words to a saying of Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' These exact words appear nowhere in the Gospels, a treasured line of the Lord preserved here by Paul alone.
The saying turns our instincts on their head. We tend to count ourselves blessed when we receive, yet Jesus locates the greater happiness in the open hand that gives. He lived it before He said it, pouring out His whole life for people who could never repay Him. To give is to do something deeply like Him, and Paul wants the church to carry that joy long after he is gone.
Acts 20:35 in the Original Language
makarios (μακάριος), 'blessed' -- deeply happy, the settled joy of one who is favored, the same word that opens the Beatitudes.
How to Apply Acts 20:35 Today
When generosity feels like loss, this saying of Jesus quietly reframes it as gain. We were made in the likeness of a God who gives, and we come closest to His own joy not when our hands are full but when they are open toward those who cannot repay us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 20:35
What does Acts 20:35 mean?
Paul leaves the church with a saying of Jesus found nowhere else: there is deeper joy in giving than in receiving.
What is the context of Acts 20:35?
Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, knowing he will likely never see them again (verse 25). He has just reminded them that he worked with his own hands rather than coveting anyone's silver (verses 33-34), and he closes with these words of the Lord Jesus.
How can I apply Acts 20:35 today?
When generosity feels like loss, this saying of Jesus quietly reframes it as gain. We were made in the likeness of a God who gives, and we come closest to His own joy not when our hands are full but when they are open toward those who cannot repay us.