SEV Biblia, Chapter 20:34
Antes vosotros sabis que para lo que me ha sido necesario, y a los que estn conmigo, estas manos me han servido.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 20:34
Verse 34. These hands have ministered, &c.] 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, to be obliged thus to employ himself.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 34. Yea, you yourselves know , etc.] So far was the apostle from desiring to have other mens money, or to wear their apparel, or to eat their bread, that he could appeal to these elders for the truth of it, they having been eyewitnesses of it: that these hands have ministered unto my necessities ; meaning, that he had wrought with his hands, which he then held up, or stretched out, at tent making, along with Aquila and Priscilla, at Ephesus, as he had done before at Corinth, ( Acts 18:2,3,18,19) and therewith supplied himself with necessaries for food and clothing; for though he had a power, as a minister of the Gospel, to forbear working, and to insist upon a maintenance from the churches, yet in some cases, and in some places, he chose rather to forego that, lest he should either any ways hinder the progress of the Gospel at the first preaching of it, or be burdensome to the churches, or give the false teachers any handle against him; and he not only supported himself in this way, but assisted others also: and to them that were with me ; as Luke, Timothy, and others; (see Acts 20:4).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 and worth into it, as to ransom believer from all evil, and purchase all good. Paul spake about their souls with affection and concern. They were full of care what would become of them. Paul directs them to look up to God with faith, and commends the to the word of God's grace, not only as the foundation of their hop and the fountain of their joy, but as the rule of their walking. The most advanced Christians are capable of growing, and will find the wor of grace help their growth. As those cannot be welcome guests to the holy God who are unsanctified; so heaven would be no heaven to them but to all who are born again, and on whom the image of God is renewed it is sure, as almighty power and eternal truth make it so. He recommends himself to them as an example of not caring as to things of the present world; this they would find help forward their comfortabl passage through it. It might seem a hard saying, therefore Paul adds to it a saying of their Master's, which he would have them alway remember; "It is more blessed to give than to receive:" it seems the were words often used to his disciples. The opinion of the children of this world, is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing tha can be; but Christ tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. I makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives from none and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. It is good for friends, when the part, to part with prayer. Those who exhort and pray for one another may have many weeping seasons and painful separations, but they wil meet before the throne of God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence of Christ both went with him and stayed with them __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
αυτοι 846 P-NPM δε 1161 CONJ γινωσκετε 1097 5719 V-PAI-2P οτι 3754 CONJ ταις 3588 T-DPF χρειαις 5532 N-DPF μου 3450 P-1GS και 2532 CONJ τοις 3588 T-DPM ουσιν 5607 5752 V-PXP-DPM μετ 3326 PREP εμου 1700 P-1GS υπηρετησαν 5256 5656 V-AAI-3P αι 3588 T-NPF χειρες 5495 N-NPF αυται 3778 D-NPF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
20:34 {Ye yourselves} (autoi). Intensive pronoun. Certainly they knew that the church in Ephesus had not supported Paul while there. {These hands} (hai ceires hautai). Paul was not above manual labor. He pointed to his hands with pride as proof that he toiled at his trade of tent-making as at Thessalonica and Corinth for his own needs (creiais) and for those with him (probably Aquila and Priscilla) with whom he lived and probably Timothy because of his often infirmities (#1Ti 5:23). {Ministered} (huperetesan). First aorist active of huperetew, to act as under rower, old verb, but in the N.T. only in #Ac 13:36; 20:34; 24:23. While in Ephesus Paul wrote to Corinth: "We toil, working with our own hands" (#1Co 4:12). "As he held them up, they saw a tongue of truth in every seam that marked them" (Furneaux).
