Created with Gemini Pro Jan 17, 2026
Yes, you are likely thinking of a famous line Mary Gates (Bill Gates's mother) wrote in a letter to Bill and Melinda shortly before her death.
While the exact phrasing "with wealth came the responsibility to give it away" is a modern paraphrase, the actual quote she used was:
"From those to whom much is given, much is expected."
The Story Behind the Quote
- The Context: Mary Gates wrote this in a letter to Melinda the day before Bill and Melinda’s wedding in 1994. At the time, Mary was battling cancer and passed away just six months later.
- The Meaning: She was explicitly urging her son and daughter-in-law to use their immense resources for philanthropy. Bill Gates has frequently cited this specific moment as the catalyst that pushed him toward starting the Gates Foundation.
- The Origin: Mary was actually quoting the Bible (Luke 12:48), but her usage of it is famous because it established the ethos for one of the world's largest philanthropic efforts.
Why it sounds like your version
Your version ("with wealth came the responsibility to give it away") effectively summarizes her intent. Bill Gates often retells this story by explaining that his mother "never stopped pressing me to do more for others," which leads many to paraphrase her message as a direct instruction to give the wealth away.
Here are the specific details regarding the letter and the moment it was shared:
The Physical Letter & The Moment
It wasn't read at the actual wedding ceremony, but at a private bridal luncheon held the day before the wedding in January 1994.
- The Setting: It was an intimate gathering of women — family and close friends — hosted in Mary’s honor
- The Delivery: Mary Gates, who was very frail and battling breast cancer at the time (she would pass away just six months later), stood up and read the letter aloud to Melinda
- The Content: The letter was a reflection on marriage, family, and the future. It was described by Melinda as "tender and affectionate, but also deeply serious." It culminated in that famous admonition: "From those to whom much is given, much is expected."
Why it was so impactful
The timing of the letter made it almost a final directive. Because Mary died so soon after the wedding, this letter became her "closing argument" to her son and daughter-in-law.
Bill and Melinda have both stated that this specific moment — Melinda receiving that letter—was the seed that eventually grew into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Before this, Bill was focused almost entirely on Microsoft, often saying he would worry about philanthropy "later in life" (likely in his 60s). His mother's intervention accelerated that timeline by decades.
A Note on the "Quote"
While the line "From those to whom much is given, much is expected" is a biblical paraphrase (Luke 12:48), in the context of the Gates family history, it is treated less as a Bible verse and more as a family mandate passed from mother to son/daughter-in-law.