This page gives you Bible passages about tithing, along with a short reflection on what each one means for everyday giving. It is written for Christians who want to understand the biblical teaching on the tenth and who are asking how generosity fits into a real budget. The verses below come from both the Old and New Testaments, and they share one thread: what we return to God is an act of trust, gratitude and worship rather than a transaction.
Verses on Giving the First Portion
The earliest references to tithing appear in Genesis, where giving a tenth is tied to recognizing God as the source of every blessing. These passages help you see tithing as an act of honor that comes before spending.
Genesis 14:20
And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.
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Abram gives a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek after a victory, before he keeps anything for himself. For you, this suggests setting aside the tenth on the day income arrives, so that gratitude is built into the first decision rather than the last.
Proverbs 3:9-10
9 Honor the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase: 10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
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Proverbs links honoring the Lord with our wealth and firstfruits. Try writing your giving amount at the top of your monthly budget, so God’s portion is planned, not left over.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says the LORD of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for.
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Malachi invites the people to bring the full tithe into the storehouse and test God’s faithfulness. When money feels tight, read this slowly and ask God to help you trust him with the tenth before you worry about the rest.
Verses on Generosity Beyond the Tenth
Jesus and the apostles take tithing seriously but press past the percentage. These verses speak to the heart behind the gift, which matters as much as the amount.
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
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Jesus says tithing should be done without neglecting justice, mercy and faithfulness. Use this verse to check whether your giving is becoming a box to tick while your character stays unchanged.
Luke 11:42
But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
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Jesus rebukes those who tithe herbs but neglect justice and the love of God. Keep this in mind when you give, and ask whether your generosity also shows up in how you treat people at work and at home.
Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
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This verse describes generous measure returned to the giver. Remember that the point is not a formula for profit but a picture of God’s abundance, so give with open hands rather than calculating a return.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
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Paul asks each person to give as they have decided in their heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. Before you give, pause and ask whether the gift is coming from joy or from guilt.
Verses on Giving With Trust in God’s Provision
Generosity often becomes hardest when money is short. These passages speak to fear about the future and to the God who supplies what we need.
Philippians 4:19
My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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Paul writes that God will supply every need according to his riches in glory. When you feel the pull to hold back, name the specific need you are afraid of and place it beside this promise in prayer.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
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Jesus tells his listeners to seek God’s kingdom first and trust that other needs will be addressed. Try putting this verse on your refrigerator door during a season of financial worry.
Malachi 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.
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This verse asks whether a person robs God in tithes and offerings, and it calls the people back to faithfulness. Let it prompt honest reflection about where your giving has slipped and what it would look like to return.
Hebrews 7:8
Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.
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Hebrews notes that the tithe is received by those who live, pointing to Christ as the one who lives forever. Read this when you give, and remember that your offering is received by a living Savior who knows your name.
1 Chronicles 29:14
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
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David acknowledges that everything comes from God and that the people’s gifts are only returning what was already his. Use this verse to shift your sense of ownership from clutching to stewarding.
Verses on Generosity Toward Those in Need
Tithing and care for others belong together in Scripture. These passages connect the offering to the widow, the stranger and the poor.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29
28 At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. 29 The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
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Israel’s tithe every third year was set aside for the Levites, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Consider how your own giving might include people who cannot repay you.
Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; he will reward him.
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This verse says that giving to the poor is lending to the Lord, who repays. Let it encourage you to give generously to those in need as an act of worship.
Acts 4:34-35
34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.
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The early believers shared their possessions so that no one among them was in need. Use this passage to imagine what your church community might look like if giving met real needs close by.
James 2:15-16
15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”; and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
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James asks what good it is to offer words of blessing without meeting physical need. Read this as a reminder that giving is practical, and that a kind word should be paired with a helping hand where you can.
Galatians 6:6
But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.
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Paul encourages those who are taught the word to share all good things with their teacher. Think about how you support the people who feed you spiritually, and make that a regular part of your giving.
How to Use These Verses
Write the references you find most meaningful on an index card and keep it in your wallet, your Bible or your budgeting notebook. Reading one verse as you prepare to give each month builds a habit of gratitude that lasts longer than any one decision about money.
When you pray through these passages, read the verse aloud, then ask God what it reveals about your heart and your finances. Let the prayer move from information to honesty, naming any fear or resentment, and then to thanks for the provision you have already received.
A Short Prayer for Tithing
Lord, you are the giver of every good gift, and everything I have comes from your hand. Help me to honor you first with the portion I set aside, and teach me to trust you when the numbers feel tight. Soften my heart where I am tempted to cling to money, and let my giving reflect your generosity to me. Make my offering an act of worship and not merely an obligation, and help me to care for the people you place in my path. Thank you for your faithfulness, which I see in every season. Amen.
