The Meaning of Acts 20:33 Explained

Acts 20:33

KJV: I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

YLT: 'The silver or gold or garments of no one did I covet;

Darby: I have coveted the silver or gold or clothing of no one.

ASV: I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have coveted  no man's  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel. 

What does Acts 20:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 20:28-38 - Commended To God
Notice the change of the Revised Version in Acts 20:28. The elder, whether presbyter or bishop, is not put over the flock; he is in it like the rest, needing redemption through the same precious blood. Notice also that remarkable expression, the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood, Acts 20:28. It clearly indicates Paul's view of the deity of our Lord.
The prediction of Acts 20:30 was but too soon fulfilled, 1 Timothy 1:19-20. Tears are thrice mentioned in this short passage: tears of suffering, Acts 20:19; of pastoral anxiety, Acts 20:31; and of personal affection, Acts 20:37.
The master builder was withdrawn before the edifice was completed, but he knew that God would continue, through other hands, to complete what he had begun, Acts 20:32. We are in the company of God's heirs. Let us meditate on the word of His grace, as fellow-heirs with Christ and all His saints; let us enter into possession of our inheritance. In Acts 20:35 we have the only saying of our Lord in the New Testament which is not preserved in the Gospels. The blessedness applies to our Lord as well as to ourselves. Let us not think that he is tired of our requests. Every time we ask for anything that He can give us, we add to His blessedness, as well as to our own. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 20

1  Paul goes to Macedonia, and thence to Troas
7  He celebrates the Lord's supper, and preaches
9  Eutychus having fallen down dead is raised to life
13  Paul continues his travels;
17  and at Miletum he calls the elders together, tells them what shall befall to himself,
28  commits God's flock to them,
29  warns them of false teachers,
32  commends them to God,
36  prays with them, and departs

Greek Commentary for Acts 20:33

No man‘s silver or gold or apparel [αργυριου η χρυσιου η ιματισμου ουδενος]
Genitive case after επετυμησα — epethumēsa One of the slanders against Paul was that he was raising this collection, ostensibly for the poor, really for himself (2 Corinthians 12:17.). He includes “apparel” because oriental wealth consisted largely in fine apparel (not old worn out clothes). See Genesis 24:53, 2 Kings 5:5, Psalm 45:13.; and Matthew 6:19. Paul did not preach just for money. [source]
Raiment []
Mentioned along with gold and silver because it formed a large part of the wealth of orientals. They traded in costly garments, or kept them stored up for future use. See on purple, Luke 16:19; and compare Ezra 2:69; Nehemiah 7:70; Job 27:16. This fact accounts for the allusions to the destructive power of the moth (Matthew 6:19; James 5:2). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 20:33

1 Corinthians 9:17 Of mine own will [εκων]
Both common adjectives, but only here in N.T. save εκων — hekōn also in Romans 8:20. The argument is not wholly clear. Paul‘s call was so clear that he certainly did his work willingly and so had a reward (see Matthew 6:1 for μιστος — misthos); but the only reward that he had for his willing work (Marcus Dods) was to make the gospel free of expense This was his μιστος — misthos It was glorying (καυχημα — kauchēma to be able to say so as in Acts 20:33.). [source]
Hebrews 13:5 Be ye free from the love of money [απιλαργυρος ο τροπος]
No copula, but supply εστο — esto “Let your manner of life Alpha privative and πιλος — philos and αργυρος — arguros The N.T. is full of the peril of money on the character as modern life is also. Content with such things as ye have Present passive participle of αρκεω — arkeō to suffice, to be content as in Luke 3:14. Cf. αυταρκης — autarkēs in Philemon 4:11. Here in the nominative plural with no substantive or pronoun (anacoluthon, as in 2 Corinthians 1:7) or the participle used as a principal verb as in Romans 12:16. “Contented with the present things” For himself hath said God himself as in Acts 20:33 of Christ. Perfect active indicative as in Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 4:3.; Hebrews 10:9. The quotation is a free paraphrase of Genesis 28:15; Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20. Philo (de Confus. Ling. 32) has it in this form, “a popular paraphrase” (Moffatt). Note the five negatives strengthening each other A noble promise in times of depression. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 20:33 mean?

Silver or gold clothing of no one I coveted
Ἀργυρίου χρυσίου ἱματισμοῦ οὐδενὸς ἐπεθύμησα

Ἀργυρίου  Silver 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἀργύριον  
Sense: silver.
χρυσίου  gold 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: χρυσίον  
Sense: gold, both that which lies imbedded in the earth and is dug out of it.
ἱματισμοῦ  clothing 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἱματισμός  
Sense: clothing, apparel.
οὐδενὸς  of  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
ἐπεθύμησα  I  coveted 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐπιθυμέω  
Sense: to turn upon a thing.