Acts 20:34

“Yea, you yourselves know, etc.] So far was the apostle from desiring to have other men’s 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, (<441802>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…”

“these hands--doubtless holding them up, as before Agrippa in chains (Act 26:29). have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me--See Act 18:3; Co1 4:12; Co1 9:6, written from Ephesus; also Th1 2:9.”

“Yea, 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, 1Co 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 support, yet the example of Paul shows that a man should rejoice in the privilege of preaching the gospel, even if it is done while he is obliged to resort to labor for his daily bread. It is well when a minister of the gospel can make an appeal to his…”

“These hands - Callous, as you see, with labour. Who is he that envies such a bishop or archbishop as this? Acts 20:35”

“that these: Act 18:3; Co1 4:12; Th1 2:9; Th2 3:8, Th2 3:9 Acts 20:35”