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It’s better to give than to receive

What's the meaning of the phrase 'It's better to give than to receive'?

The proverb ‘It’s better to give than to receive’ has a straightforward literal meaning which needs no further explanation.

What's the origin of the phrase 'It's better to give than to receive'?

‘It’s better to give than to receive’ is from the Bible, Acts 20:35 (King James Version):

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring 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.

See also: the List of Proverbs.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
It’s better to give than to receive

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