What Does the Bible Say
What Does the Bible Say About Tithing?
Tithing is one of the most debated financial topics in Christianity. Some churches teach it as a non-negotiable command. Others say it ended with the Old Covenant. The truth is more interesting than either extreme. The tithe predates the Mosaic Law, runs through the Old Testament, and gets reframed — not eliminated — in the New Testament. Here's what Scripture actually says, without the guilt trip or the free pass.
God invites you to test Him with generosity. This is the one area where God says 'try it and see.' Most people never take the test. They calculate, hesitate, and give from leftovers. God says bring the whole thing and watch.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 'Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'”
Malachi 3:10 · BSB
God challenged Israel to test Him — the only time in Scripture God invites a test. Israel had been robbing God by withholding tithes. His response wasn't anger. It was challenge: bring the whole tithe and watch what I do. The floodgates of heaven are behind your obedience. This was spoken to Israel under the Old Covenant, but the principle — that God rewards faithful giving — carries into the New.
Tithing started before the law, not because of it. Abraham tithed out of gratitude, not obligation. That changes the conversation. Even if you believe the Mosaic tithe doesn't apply to Christians, the principle of giving a tenth to God predates that system entirely.
“And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
Genesis 14:20 · BSB
Abraham tithed to Melchizedek — a priest of God Most High — 400 years before the Mosaic Law existed. This is significant because it means tithing wasn't invented by Moses. It predates the law. Abraham gave a tenth voluntarily, as an act of worship and gratitude after a military victory. No one commanded it. No law required it. He simply recognized that God deserved the first portion.
The tithe belongs to God. It's not your generous gift — it's His rightful portion. That reframe changes the posture from 'look how generous I am' to 'I'm returning what was never mine.' It's stewardship, not charity.
“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.”
Leviticus 27:30 · BSB
Under the Mosaic Law, the tithe was mandatory. Ten percent of everything belonged to God — grain, fruit, livestock. Notice the wording: 'belongs to the LORD.' The tithe wasn't giving God something extra. It was returning what was already His. Israel didn't own 100% and generously give 10%. They managed 90% and returned the 10% that was never theirs.
Heart matters more than percentage in the New Testament. Paul never commands a tithe. He commands cheerful, decided, voluntary giving. If 10% makes you resentful, it's the wrong amount. If 10% is easy, it might be too little. Give from joy, not guilt.
“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 9:7 · BSB
Paul shifts the emphasis from percentage to posture. No reluctance. No compulsion. Give what you've decided. The New Testament doesn't mandate a specific percentage for Christians. It raises the standard: give from a cheerful heart, not from obligation. For some people, 10% is generous. For others, it's stingy. The heart matters more than the math.
Stop asking 'what's the minimum I should give?' and start asking 'how generous am I willing to be?' Paul says the harvest matches the planting. If your financial and spiritual life feels sparse, check your sowing. You set the scale.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 · BSB
Farming language drives this principle: sowing and reaping. The principle is proportional. Sparse sowing produces sparse results. Generous sowing produces generous results. This doesn't specify 10%. It describes a spiritual law: the scale of your generosity determines the scale of your harvest. It's an incentive to give more, not a mandate to give a fixed amount.
Jesus didn't cancel tithing. He said do both — give generously and live justly. Tithing without mercy is hypocrisy. Mercy without generosity is incomplete. The tithe isn't the ceiling of your faithfulness. It's the floor.
“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 23:23 · BSB
Jesus critiqued the Pharisees for tithing meticulously (even on spices) while ignoring justice, mercy, and faithfulness. But notice: He didn't abolish tithing. He said 'you should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.' Both. Tithe and pursue justice. Give and show mercy. The rebuke wasn't about tithing too much. It was about tithing without character.
Generosity earns a disproportionate return in God's economy. You give a cup and get back a barrel. This isn't a prosperity formula. It's a description of how God's economy works. He doesn't match your gift. He overflows it.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.”
Luke 6:38 · BSB
God's response to generosity is described with grain-measuring imagery: pressed, shaken, overflowing. The return on generosity isn't measured in matching proportions. It's pressed down and running over — exceeding what you gave. Jesus doesn't specify a percentage. He describes a posture: give, and watch what happens.
Give God the first portion, not the leftovers. Whether that's 10% or more, the principle is priority. When God gets the firstfruits, He handles the rest. When He gets the remnant, you're trusting your own math more than His provision.
“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
Proverbs 3:9-10 · BSB
Solomon's instruction predates the New Testament debate: honor God first. Firstfruits means before bills, before savings, before wants. The principle is priority: God gets the top, not the remainder. The promise follows: overflowing provision. This isn't about the percentage. It's about the order. What you give first reveals what you value most.
Your giving is measured by what it costs you, not what it totals. If your tithe comes from surplus and requires no sacrifice, it may technically be 10% but spiritually be much less. The widow gave less money and more faith than everyone else in the temple.
“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. For all these people gave their gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Luke 21:3-4 · BSB
Giving was measured by sacrifice, not amount. The widow's two coins outweighed the wealthy donors' large gifts. She gave from poverty. They gave from surplus. Jesus noticed. He always notices the sacrifice behind the gift. This obliterates the idea that God cares about the dollar amount. He cares about what it cost you.
Plan your giving. Don't leave it to impulse or leftovers. Paul says set it aside first, proportional to your income. Whether the number is 10% or something else, the discipline of planned, proportional, consistent giving is the New Testament model.
“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”
1 Corinthians 16:2 · BSB
The Corinthians received a practical instruction: set aside money regularly and proportionally. 'In keeping with your income' means proportional giving — more income, more giving. He doesn't specify 10%. He specifies consistency and proportionality. The early church gave regularly, planned their giving, and adjusted based on income. That's a principle that applies regardless of the tithe debate.
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A Prayer About Tithing
God, I want to get this right. I want to be generous — not because I have to, but because I want to. Show me what faithful giving looks like for me right now. If I've been withholding what's Yours, forgive me. If I've been giving from guilt instead of joy, change my heart. I take Your challenge: test me in this. Open the floodgates. I trust You with my finances. Teach me to give first, not last. To give cheerfully, not resentfully. To give proportionally to what You've entrusted to me. I don't want to be the Pharisee who tithes on spices but ignores justice. I want to be the person who gives with an open hand and an honest heart. Use my giving for Your purposes. In Jesus' name, amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tithing required for Christians?
The Mosaic tithe was required for Israel under the Old Covenant (Leviticus 27:30). The New Testament doesn't mandate a specific percentage but calls for cheerful, proportional, planned giving (2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2). Jesus affirmed tithing in Matthew 23:23. Most scholars see 10% as a wise baseline, but the New Testament emphasis is on heart and generosity, not legal obligation.
What is the tithe in the Bible?
The tithe means 'tenth.' Leviticus 27:30 defined it as 10% of income that belonged to God. Abraham tithed voluntarily to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20) before the law existed. Israel had multiple tithes totaling roughly 23% annually. Malachi 3:10 records God's challenge to bring the whole tithe. The concept evolved from voluntary worship to legal requirement to New Testament generosity.
Did Jesus support tithing?
Yes, with qualification. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus told the Pharisees they should tithe — 'without neglecting' it — but also pursue justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He didn't cancel tithing. He expanded it. The tithe was the minimum, not the maximum. Jesus raised the standard from percentage-based obligation to sacrificial, whole-life generosity (Luke 21:3-4).
Should I tithe if I'm in debt?
This is a conscience matter. Proverbs 3:9 says honor God with firstfruits. Romans 13:8 says owe nothing to anyone. Both principles apply. Some believers tithe even in debt as an act of faith. Others reduce giving temporarily to eliminate debt faster. Neither position is wrong. Give what you can cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7) and work diligently to become debt-free.
Where should I give my tithe?
Malachi 3:10 says bring it to the storehouse — which was the temple, functioning as the local place of worship. Most Christians give their primary tithe to their local church, which serves as the modern 'storehouse.' Additional giving — to ministries, individuals, nonprofits — goes beyond the tithe. The principle: support the community that feeds you spiritually.