Part Two – New Testament
Tithing in the Bible: 41 Scriptures about Giving
Tithing in the
Bible refers to giving 10 percent of your annual earnings, productions, or
possessions. In the Old Testament, we observe Abraham and Jacob offering a
tithe to God in Genesis 14 and 28. The Israelites were also commanded to tithe
from what they earned (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:25–28; Deut. 14:22–24; 2 Chron.
31:5–6).
Where is tithing first
mentioned in the Bible?
So, what does the
bible say about tithes? The first tithe made in the bible happened
in Genesis 14:19-20. The first person to do so in the bible was Abram.
Abram (better known as Abraham) returned from battle and was met by
Melchizedek. During their encounter Melchizedek attributes Abram’s victory to
God and he blesses Abram. Abram responds to the blessing in gratitude and gives
Melchizedek a tenth (aka tithe) of all his possessions.
And he blessed him
and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Jacob offers the
second tithe as recorded in the Bible. Over in Genesis 28:20–22 Jacob responds
to a dream he received from God by building an altar and vowing that, in
exchange for God’s care and provision, he would give God a tenth of his
belongings.
Then Jacob made a
vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go,
and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my
father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I
have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I
will give a full tenth to you.”
Tithing in the New Testament
- Matthew
23:23: "Woe to you,
teachers of the law…You give a tenth…But you have neglected the more
important matters-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have
practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
- Luke
6:38: If you give, you will
get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed
down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever
measure you use to give-- large or small-- will be used to measure what is
given back to you.
- Luke
6:38: Give, and it will be
given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running
over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will
be measured to you."
- Luke
18:9–14: He also told this
parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray,
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by
himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast
twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector,
standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his
breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be
exalted.”
- Matthew
6:1–4: Beware of practicing
your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for
then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when
you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do
in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to
the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.
- 2
Corinthians 8:2–2: Out of the
most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled
up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they
were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they
urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to
the saints.
- 2
Corinthians 8:5: They gave
themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
- 2
Corinthians 8:7: Just as you
excel in everything-- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete
earnestness and in your love for us-- see that you also excel in this
grace of giving.
- 2
Corinthians 8:10–11: Last year
you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be
matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
- 2
Corinthians 8:12: If the
willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,
not according to what he does not have.
- 2
Corinthians 8:20–21: We want
to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.
For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the
Lord but also in the eyes of men.
- 2
Corinthians 9:5: I thought it
necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the
arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready
as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
- 2
Corinthians 9:6: Remember
this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
generously will also reap generously.
- 2
Corinthians 9:7: Each man
should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
- 2
Corinthians 9:8: God is able
to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- 2
Corinthians 9:10: Now he who
supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and
increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your
righteousness.
- 2
Corinthians 9:11: You will be
made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and
through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
- 2
Corinthians 9:12: This service
that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is
also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
- 2
Corinthians 9:13: Men will
praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the
gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with
everyone else.
- Matthew
6:26: Look at the birds of the
air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
- Matthew
6:27–31: Who of you by
worrying can add a single hour to his life? So do not worry, saying,
'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them.
- Matthew
6:33–34: Seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing,
drink) will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.
- Mark
12:41–44: Jesus sat down
opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd
putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in
large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper
coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to
him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more
into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their
wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-- all she had to
live on."
- 1
Corinthians 16:2: On every
Lord's Day each of you should put aside something from what you have
earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends
on how much the Lord has helped you earn.
- 1
Timothy 6:6–8: Godliness with
contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world,
and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing,
we will be content with that.
- 1
Timothy 6:9: People who want
to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful
desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
- 1
Timothy 6:17–19: Command those
who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their
hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who
richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them
to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to
share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a
firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life
that is truly life.
- Matthew
6:19–21: (Jesus said) "Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
- Matthew
6:21: Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
- Hebrews
6:10: God is not unjust; he
will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have
helped his people and continue to help them.
- Acts
2:44–45: All the believers
were together and had everything in common. Selling their
possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
- Romans
12:13: Share with God's people
who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- Hebrews
13:16: Do not forget to do
good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Hebrews
7:1–2: For this Melchizedek,
king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the
slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a
tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of
righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
- I
John 3:17: If anyone has material
possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can
the love of God be in him?
- Luke
18:22–25: When Jesus heard
this, he said to the rich young ruler, "You still lack one thing.
Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure
in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he became
very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him
and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of
God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
- Luke
11:42: But woe to you
Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice
and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the
others.
- Galatians
6:6:Those who are taught the
Word of God should help their teachers by paying them.
- Galatians
6:6: Anyone who receives
instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
- Matthew
25:35–40: I was hungry and you
gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you
came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord,
when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something
to drink?’…"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you
did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
- Acts
20:35: (Remember Jesus’ words
when he said) “It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Source: https://get.tithe.ly/blog/106-bible-scriptures-about-giving