What does Acts 20:35 mean?
Paul first came to Ephesus on his way home from his second missionary journey and spoke in the synagogue for only one Sabbath (Acts 18:19–21). After he left, Apollos learned about Jesus and spoke of Him some before moving on to Corinth (Acts 18:24–28). Later, Paul came to Ephesus again and spent three months in the synagogue, explaining how Jesus of Nazareth brought the kingdom of God. Some of his audience couldn't accept his words, so he moved to a local hall (Acts 19:8–10). In all, Paul spent three years in Ephesus, establishing and building the church (Acts 20:31).Now on his way back to Jerusalem, Paul meets with the elders of the church. He reminds them of his service and warns them about coming false teachers. He also tells them he is going to be imprisoned and they will not see him again. Now, he gives them final instructions as he commissions them to faithfully lead their church (Acts 20:17–34).
Paul's hard work showed in two ways. First, for two years, he reasoned daily about how Jesus is the Messiah who fulfills the Old Testament prophecies and brings reconciliation with God (Acts 19:9–10). Second, he worked when he wasn't teaching (Acts 20:34). He didn't want the new believers to be distracted from learning about Christ, so he didn't rely on them for his physical needs or the needs of his team: Timothy and Erastus (Acts 19:22). As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he would rather live in the freedom of the gospel—the freedom to not demand what he is owed—than inhibit the spread of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12, 18).
These instructions are for the elders of the church; they are not for the members and attendees. In 1 Corinthians 9:8–12, Paul tells us if a leader feeds us spiritually, we should feed him physically. In 1 Timothy 5:17, he says elders who preach—teaching pastors—should receive "double honor"—meaning, more income. Pastors should not let their need for support get in the way of teaching God's Word, but church members should not pay so little their pastor cannot teach.
This quote isn't found in the Gospels. Jesus did say, "…give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). That doesn't mean Jesus didn't say this; Jesus said many things the Gospels didn't record (John 20:30–31), and Paul may have heard it from one of the apostles. Both the apostle John and Jesus' half-brother James share a similar sentiment in their letters (1 John 3:17–18; James 2:14–17).
Acts 20:28–35 records Paul's last words to the elders of Ephesus. He has reminded them of his own faithful service to them and the church. He has told them he is going to Jerusalem where he will be imprisoned; they will never see him again (Acts 20:18–27). Now, he exhorts them to follow his example in leading the church, protecting their people from false teachers, and sacrificing worldly gain to bring others to Christ. Paul will live out this last point as he spends the next five years in custody but still preaching and writing to the churches (Acts 28:30–31).
Acts 20 finishes Paul's third missionary journey. He leaves Ephesus after three years and travels to Macedonia and Corinth. Threats from the Corinthian Jews send him and his team back to Macedonia and Troas. In Troas, Paul gives a very long sermon and raises Eutychus from the dead after he falls—both asleep and out a window. In Miletus, Paul meets with the Ephesian elders. He reminds them to beware of false teachers and tells them he is going to be imprisoned and will not see them again. After a tearful farewell, he boards a ship for Judea.
