"And now, brethren," he continued, "I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel." Some of the Ephesian brethren were wealthy, but Paul had never sought personal benefit from them. It was no part of his message to call attention to his own wants. "These hands," he declared, "have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me." Amidst his arduous labors and extensive journeys for the cause of Christ, he was 396 able, not only to supply his own wants, but to spare something for the support of his fellow laborers and the relief of the worthy poor. This he accomplished only by unremitting diligence and the closest economy. Well might he point to his own example as he said, "I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

"Så overgiver jeg jer nu til Herren " vedblev han, "og til hans nådes ord, som formår at opbygge og at give arven til alle de hellige. Sølv eller guld eller klæder har jeg ikke begæret af nogen." Nogle af brødrene i Efesus var velhavende, men Paulus havde aldrig benyttet sig heraf til egen fordel. Det hørte ikke med til hans budskab at henlede opmærksomheden til sine egne fornødenheder. "Disse hænder," sagde han, "har indtjent alt, hvad jeg og mine ledsagere trængte til." Midt i sit ihærdige arbejde og under de lange rejser for Kristi sags skyld var han i stand til ikke blot at sørge for sit eget underhold, men at have noget tilovers til hjælp for sine medarbejdere og understøttelse til værdige trængende. Dette opnåede han kun ved utrættelig flid og den største sparsommelighed. Han kunne med god ret henvise til sit eget eksempel, da han sagde: "Jeg har vist jer, at ved således at arbejde bør vi tage os af de skrøbelige og ihukomme Herren Jesu ord, at han selv har sagt: "Saligere er det at give end at modtage."