Giving in the Bible: What Scripture Does and Doesn’t Say (50+ Verses)
When it comes to giving in the Bible, the verses are clear—but the way churches talk about money rarely is.
I’ve seen well-meaning pastors undercut their church’s generosity without even realizing it:
- Teaching a theology of abundance, then running the church like it’s broke
- Quoting Malachi 3 with urgency, but offering no transparency about how funds are used
- Leaning on guilt instead of gratitude, especially when budgets get tight
We fumble the topic, not because we’re greedy, but because we’re often insecure or unclear. And our people pick up on that. Generosity dries up when giving becomes a guilt trip or a mystery.
That’s why I put together this study aid on giving in the Bible—to ground your teaching in Scripture and give you practical clarity.
Inside, you’ll find:
- 50 Bible verses that reflect a wide, whole-Bible view of giving
- 5 powerful examples of biblical generosity you can teach or preach
- 4 common generosity-killing mistakes churches make (and how to avoid them)
Whether you’re prepping a sermon, leading a small group, or discipling a young leader, this guide will help you handle the topic with confidence, clarity, and care.
What is Biblical Giving?
This is an important topic, considering how the percentage of Christians who tithe or give to the church has been steadily decreasing over the years.
If we want to understand giving in the Bible, we have to start with why God's people were instructed to give in the first place.
It wasn’t about dues. Or pressure. It was about gratitude, trust, and obedience. People gave because they recognized that everything they had came from God—and giving was a way to say that out loud.
Deuteronomy 14:28–29 gives us a picture of this. God tells His people to set aside part of what they’ve been given—not just to honor Him, but to care for the vulnerable (widows, orphans, the vulnerable). Giving was never just about the temple. It was about the community, too.
Today, that same pattern shows up in how we give to the local church. Tithes. Offerings. Special gifts. As pastors, we’ve got a front-row seat—and a leadership role.
Every time we invite people to give, we’re teaching them something much deeper than paying the bills. We’re teaching them how to trust God with their money.
Joshua GOrdon
Tithing: One Part of the Picture
Tithing is often the first thing that comes to mind when people think about giving in the Bible. It goes back to the Old Testament, where God’s people were told to give 10% to support those serving in ministry full-time—the priests and Levites.
But it wasn’t just about staffing. It was about shaping hearts.
- Genesis 14:20 – Abraham gives a tenth to Melchizedek. Worship, not obligation.
- Leviticus 27:30 – The tithe belongs to the Lord. It’s holy.
- Deuteronomy 14:22–23 – Tithing helps people re-center on God’s provision.
- Malachi 3:10 – God says, “Test me.” Give—and watch what I do.
- Matthew 23:23 – Jesus affirms tithing but calls out people who do it without justice, mercy, or faithfulness.
Now under grace, since the old covenant no longer applies, giving in the Bible shifts. Jesus fulfilled the law. That means tithing isn’t a requirement—it’s an example. When church members give, they step into a training ground.
We’re not under the tithe. But we are called to generosity. Radical, cheerful, sacrificial generosity.
So should we teach tithing? Sure—if it helps people take a first step. But let’s not stop there. Let’s invite people into the full picture of giving and stewardship in the Bible. Not because they have to. Because they get to.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Apostle Paul (2 Cor 9:7)
Giving in the Bible: Real Examples, Real Purpose
Giving in the Bible isn’t about guilt, obligation, or checking a spiritual box.
It’s about trusting God and exercising faith over fear. It looks like loving people. And joining in what He’s doing—right where you are.
Sometimes that might be like a big check. Other times, it’s a sack lunch or the last two coins in your pocket. In Scripture, we see all kinds of people give in all kinds of ways. Here are a few standouts.
The Shunammite Woman – 2 Kings 4:8–10
This woman had money. But more than that, she had margin. She used it to create space for Elisha—not just a meal, but a whole room. That’s what giving in the Bible looks like: seeing a need, then stepping into it with whatever you’ve got.
The Widow’s Mite – Mark 12:41–44
She gave less than a penny. And Jesus said she gave more than anyone else. Why? Because she gave everything. That’s the upside-down beauty of giving in the Bible—it’s not about the amount, it’s about the heart behind it.
The Macedonian Churches – 2 Corinthians 8:1–5
Flat broke. In crisis. And still begging Paul to let them help. These churches didn’t wait until they were comfortable. They gave out of what little they had—because they trusted God more than they feared lack.
The Early Church – Acts 4:32–35
They didn’t play the “mine vs. yours” game. They lived like family. Shared what they had. Nobody was left out. That’s the kind of generosity giving in the Bible calls us to—radical, sacrificial, and rooted in unity.
These aren’t just stories—they’re calls to action. They show us that giving is more than charity. It’s worship.
What Does Giving in the Bible Teach Us?
Before we ever ask our church to give, we need to be clear on what giving in the Bible actually teaches. These four truths cut through the clutter:
1. Giving honors God.
Hebrews 13:16 says God is pleased when we share what we have. In other words—He smiles when we give. Abraham did it in Genesis 14. David led a whole movement of giving in 1 Chronicles 29. Giving in the Bible consistently shows us that generosity is one of the clearest ways to honor God.
Want to hear more on this? Check out Adrian Hildebrand’s Faith in Finance podcast. It’s practical, not preachy.
2. Giving is an act of trust.
Giving when money’s tight is tough. But that’s exactly where faith kicks in. The widow in Mark 12 didn’t give out of comfort—she gave out of conviction. Giving in the Bible often looks like trusting God to provide when the math doesn’t add up.
And you’ll see the fruit of that trust show up in real ways—budget growth, ministry expansion, stronger discipleship. As we trust God amidst this financially unstable world we get to see Him step into our situation and bring life.
3. Giving builds the Kingdom.
Matthew 28 is clear—our job is to make disciples of all nations. That doesn’t happen without generosity. Whether it’s local outreach or global missions, giving in the Bible is always tied to kingdom movement, and can pour gasoline on a fire of discipleship in the church.
4. Giving is how we love.
Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Matthew 22). Giving is one of the clearest ways we do both. It’s not just tithes and offerings. It’s your time, your table, your energy... and it can fuel
Matthew 25 shows it plain: when we give to the hungry, the poor, the overlooked—we’re giving to Jesus Himself.
Jill Foley Turner makes a strong case that giving isn’t just obedience: giving is a form of worship.
Four Generosity-Killing Mistakes
Talking about giving can go sideways fast. Here are four mistakes I see churches make all the time—and why they matter:
Mistake 1: Making it about the money
Giving in the Bible is never just about money. It’s about the heart. If we skip that, we miss the point. 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us—God loves a cheerful giver. So don’t lead with numbers. Lead with purpose.
Mistake 2: Talking like it’s a fundraiser
Yes, churches need funding. But if the focus is “we need more money,” people will check out—or worse, check their wallets for strings. Instead, talk about how giving fuels mission. Show people the lives it touches.
Mistake 3: Skipping the “why”
People don’t just need instruction—they need vision. Giving in the Bible always comes with a why. Teach that. Over and over. Show them how giving changes hearts, homes, and whole communities.
Mistake 4: Treating it like a routine
If the offering moment feels like autopilot, people will tune out. Giving is sacred. Make it count. Tell a story. Pray over it. Teach on it. It's so much more than another church metric to track. Make space for the Spirit to move.
Bottom line? Giving in the Bible isn’t about what God wants from us—it’s about what He wants for us. Freedom. Joy. Trust. Obedience. So don’t shy away from the conversation. Handle incoming criticisms with grace - and keep the discussion honest, grounded, and Gospel-centered.
Recommended resources for church giving
As pastors, how we address giving is crucial. It’s also important to consider the strengths and weaknesses of our online financial infrastructure. To that end, I’ve compiled a handful of resources you may find helpful with all of this:
Fifty+ Bible Verses About Giving
Below, you’ll find more than 50 of the verses directly from the Bible, including the Old Testament and New Testament alike, using the NIV translation. I often read and reference these scriptures to re-center myself when it comes to giving.
- Genesis 14:19-20 - “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
- Genesis 28:20-22 - “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
- Leviticus 27:30 - “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 8:18 - “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
- Deuteronomy 14:22-23 - “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.”
- Deuteronomy 14:28-29 - “At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”
- Deuteronomy 28:12 - “The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:9 - “The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:14 - “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:17 - “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.”
- Psalm 112:9 - “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.”
- Proverbs 3:9-10 - “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
- Proverbs 3:27-28 - “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.28 Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’— when you already have it with you.”
- Proverbs 18:16 - “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.”
- Proverbs 28:8 - “Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.”
- Proverbs 28:27 - “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
- Matthew 5:42 - “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
- Matthew 6:3-4 - “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
- Matthew 6:21 - “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
- Matthew 6:25-26 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 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 10:8 - “Freely you have received; freely give.”
- Matthew 23:23 - “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
- Matthew 25:34-40 - “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For 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, 36 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.’37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
- 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. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’”
- Luke 3:11 - “John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’”
- 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 11:37-41 - “When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.”
- Luke 11:42 - “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”
- Luke 12:33-34 - “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
- Luke 14:13-14 - “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
- Acts 2:45 - “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
- Acts 20:35 - “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- Romans 12:6-8 - “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
- Romans 12:13 - “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
- Romans 13:7 - “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:3 - “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:2-5 - “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:7 - “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:11 - “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 - “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”
- 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 of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 - “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:11 - “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
- Galatians 6:6 - “Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.”
- Galatians 6:9 - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
- Ephesians 4:28 - “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”
- 1 Timothy 5:3 - “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.”
- 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 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.”
- Hebrews 13:2 - “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
- Hebrews 13:16 - “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
- James 2:15-16 - “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
- 1 Peter 4:10 - “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
- 1 John 3:17-18 - “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
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