The holiday season is all about giving. Giving thanks, giving gifts, and giving of time and money to serve others are all core components of our Thanksgiving and Christmas time celebrations. However, generosity is a core component of our Christian faith regardless of the time of year! 

This blog unpacks giving in the Bible and includes 25 Bible verses on giving in all its forms. If you want to reflect on God’s heart for giving thanks, giving to others, and giving to God, keep reading!

Giving in the Bible: Why it Matters

We have all heard the old saying that it’s better to give than receive. The many Bible verses on giving prove that’s true! Generosity is a timeless principle that will help you grow spiritually and financially. Here are just a few reasons why giving is so powerful:

• Giving connects us to the Body of Christ. Through giving our time, talent, and treasure, we can partner with something bigger than ourselves. By giving our finances to nonprofits, churches, and missionaries, we can connect with the larger mission of what God is doing in the world.

• Giving kills a spirit of mammon. If you find yourself hoarding your finances or becoming a little too worried about money, generosity is the answer. When you give, you realize you have more than enough and directly counteract greed.

• Giving releases blessings. When you give, you receive. The primary way God gives to us is when we give to others. It’s upside down from how the world thinks, but it works! 

• Giving is at the heart of what it means to be a Kingdom Wealth Builder. The heart of a kingdom wealth builder does not care as much about what they can store up for themselves as they do about the amount they can give away. The goal is to be able to give away or reinvest 100% of your income to kingdom minded causes.

 Bible Verses on Giving to God

1. Genesis 14:17-20, NLT

“After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s valley.) And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing:

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.”

And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he recovered.”

(Here’s a bit of context: This is the first mention of the tithe in the Bible. Abram gave one tenth of his spoils of the war against Sodom to Melchizedek, the priest king of Salem. After his tithe, the king of Sodom told Abram that he could have all the war spoils if he returned their captured people. Abram’s response is legendary, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, the God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, “I am the one who made Abram rich.” (22-23) Abram’s rejection of the offer made by the King of Sodom powerfully affirms that he depends on God, not human authority, to make him “a great nation.”) 

2. Exodus 22:29-30, NKJV

“You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.”

3. Leviticus 27:30-33, NIV

“‘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. Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it. Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord. No one may pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If anyone does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.’”

4. Numbers 28:26, NASB

“Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the LORD in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy assembly; you shall do no laborious work.”

(Related: First Fruit Offerings: What they are, where they came from, and why you should give them)

5. Deuteronomy 16:9-11, NKJV

“You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you.”

6. Matthew 25:37-40, NIV

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“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.’”

Bible Verses on Giving to Others

7. Proverbs 21:26, NLT

“Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give.”

8. Matthew 6:2-4, NLT

“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

9. Matthew 19:21, NLT

“Jesus told him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. The come, follow me.’”

10. Luke 21:1-4, ESV

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

11. Luke 6:30-31, NLT

“Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Bible Verses on Giving and Receiving in the Bible

12. Psalm 37:21, NKJV

“The wicked borrows and does not repay,

But the righteous shows mercy and gives.”

13. Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV

“Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

14. Proverbs 11:25

“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (NLT)

“The generous soul will be made rich,

And he who waters will also be watered himself.” (NKJV)

15. Proverbs 19:17, NLT

“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!”

16. Matthew 7:7-9, NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

17. Matthew 10:8, NLT

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!”

18. Luke 6:38

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

(I like the KJV of this verse because it gives you a little hint about how we receive.)

19. 2 Corinthians 9:6-12, NLT

“Remember this–a farmer who only plants a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty leftover to share with others. As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.

Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things result from the ministry of giving–the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.”

Related: First Fruit Offerings: Explained

Bible Verses on Giving Thanks

20. Psalm 50:14, NLT: “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.” 

21. Psalm 100:4: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”

22. Psalm 118:1: “​​Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

23. Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

24. Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

25. 1 Timothy 4:4-5: “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”

We hope these Bible verses on giving have encouraged you today. What verse stood out to you? Which ones would you add? Let us know in the comments!

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