Acts 20:34

Acts 20:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
• New International Version (NIV)You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.

Context of Acts 20:34

32Now I ask God to keep you safe. I brought God's message to you, which tells us how kind he is. That message will cause you to be strong. As a result, God will give to you all the good things that he has for his own special people. 33When I stayed among you, I did not ask you to give me money or clothes. You yourselves know that I worked with my hands. I did that to get money. Then my friends and I could have the things that we needed. 35In this way I have shown you how you should live. You should work well so that you may help sick or weak people. You should remember what Jesus himself said: “It may make you happy when you receive things. But it makes you more happy when you give things to someone.” ’ 36Then Paul finished speaking. He went down on his knees together with the leaders of the believers. He prayed with them all.

Acts 20:34 word by word

αὐτοὶ γινώσκετε ὅτι ταῖς χρείαις μου καὶ τοῖς οὖσιν μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ὑπηρέτησαν αἱ χεῖρες αὗται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Yeaδέde · thenG1161
• yeγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• yourselvesαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• handsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• have ministeredὑπηρετέωhupēreteō · to serveG5256
• unto myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• necessitiesχρείαchreia · needG5532
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• that wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326

Cross-references for Acts 20:34

• Acts 18:3They knew how to make tents which they could sell to people. Paul also made tents, so he stayed with them and he worked with them.
• 1 Corinthians 4:12We work hard, so that we become very tired. When people insult us, we ask God to bless them. When people give us trouble, we are patient and brave.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9Our Christian friends, remember how we worked so hard to help you. We worked during the day and even during the night. We did not want to cause any problems for you. So we taught you God's good news and we did not ask you to give us anything in return.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:8We always paid for the food that anyone gave to us. We worked hard all the time, during the day and at night. We did that so that we would not make trouble for any of you.

Commentaries on Acts 20:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34These hands have ministered, etc. - It was neither "sin nor discredit" for the apostle to work to maintain himself, when the circumstances of the Church were such that it could not support him. Still many eminent ministers of God are obliged to support themselves and their families, at least in part, in the same way, while indefatigably testifying the Gospel of the grace of God. Whatever it may be to the people, it is no cause of reproach to the minister…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34Yea, ye yourselves know - By your own acquaintance with my manner of life. In Corinth he had lived and labored with Apollos (note, Acts 18:3); and he refers elsewhere to the fact that he had supported himself, in part at least, by his own labor, 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8. We may hence learn that it is no discredit to a minister to labor. Whatever it may be to a people who put him under a necessity to toil for his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-38Verses 28-38 If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-38Paul’s message to the elders (leaders) of the church in Ephesus describes his life and work among them. He also calls these leaders to show the same kind of commitment as they continue the ministry. In this message, Paul points to his own life as an example. He shows his honesty and care for people (20:18–21, 26, 31). He also speaks about what will happen in the future (20:22–23, 25, 29–30). He warns them about false teachers (people who teach wrong ideas…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 32-3532-35. I commend you to God--the almighty Conservator of His people. and to the word of his grace--that message of His pure grace (Ac 20:24) by the faith of which He keeps us (1Pe 1:5). which--that is, God. is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance, &c.--Observe how salvation--not only in its initial stages of pardon and regeneration, but in all its subsequent stages of "up-building," even to its consummation in the final inheritance--is…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 20:34

• Ephesus
• Industry
• Miletus
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Self-Denial
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Bind
• Bishop
• Counsel
• Count
• Course
• Determine
• Draw
• Embrace
• Ephesians, Epistle to

Commentaries on Acts 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings