These are difficult times for many in terms of finances, which means that now more than ever, it’s important to be aware of what the Bible has to say about giving.
It’s easy to lose sight of selfless and generous giving when we feel as though we barely have enough for ourselves, and yet, the Bible makes it very clear that giving is a direct extension of God’s love, and that doing so is an integral part of Christian living.
Although it might not always be easy to show up as your most giving self, especially during times of hardship, by reading what the Bible has to say about Christian giving, you can cultivate an attitude of selflessness and generosity within yourself.
Thankfully, the Bible offers a lot of advice and insight when it comes to giving, so we have created a full list of the best Bible verses about giving. We’ve also included some Christian quotes and extra resources to encourage the spirit of giving.
Why The Bible Encourages You To Give
“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.” – 1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits 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
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” – Malachi 3:8-10
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” – Proverbs 11:24
“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” – Deuteronomy 15:10
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:38
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce.” – Proverbs 3:9
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” – Hebrews 13:16
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” – 1 Timothy 6:10
Biblical Examples Of Giving Generously
“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.” – Luke 21:1-4
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35
“And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.” – Philippians 4:15-17
“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints – and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” – 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
“There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it as the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” – Acts 4:34-37
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” – Acts 2:44-45
“And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. 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.” – Genesis 14:18-20
Giving As A Reflection Of God’s Love
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” – Matthew 15:34-40
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” – 1 John 3:17
“Remember the Lord your God, who it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” – Deuteronomy 8:18
“Everything in heaven and earth is Yours, O Lord. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
‘God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 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 29:12-14
“No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed. Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” – Deuteronomy 16:16-17
Biblical Quotes About Giving To The Church
“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” – 3 John 5-8
“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’” – 1 Timothy 5:17-18
“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” – Romans 12:12
Bible Verses About Giving To Those Less Fortunate
“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” – James 2:15-16
“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, and with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” – Proverbs 19:17
“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” – Deuteronomy 15:7-8
“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.” – Proverbs 28:27
“Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” – Proverbs 22:9
Giving Plentifully, Selflessly, And Anonymously
“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.” – Matthew 6:1-4
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
“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.” – 1 Corinthians 13:3
“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 8:7
“Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” – Luke 3:10
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” – Proverbs 3:27
“Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.” – Leviticus 25:36-37
“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” – Deuteronomy 15:10
“For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord.” – 2 Corinthians 8:3
“Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods, do not demand them back.” – Luke 6:30
More Christian Advice About Giving
“It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa
“Man should not consider his material possession his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need.” – Thomas Aquinas
“As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor.
It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel, and thus transmute itself into heavenly values.
Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” – A. W. Tozer
“No person was ever honored for what he received. He was honored for what he gave.” – Calvin Coolidge
“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.” – C.S. Lewis
“The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.” – Henry Drummond
“A lack of generosity refuses to acknowledge that your assets are not really yours, but God’s.” – Tim Keller
“In my opinion, the idea that we should postpone generous giving (to the church) until our debts are paid or until we get a raise or until the children are grown up or until we have bought a house is contrary to Scripture. We may be able to give more then, but we ought to give generously now.” – Wayne Mack
“Do you not know that God entrusted you with that money (all about what buys necessities for your families) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and, indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud the Lord, but applying it to any other purpose?” – John Wesley
This book by Ronald Sider addresses the issue of poverty and advises Christians on how to use the spirit of generosity to bridge the gap between the affluent and those struggling to make ends meet.
There are actionable tips in this book on how to provide financial assistance as well as other forms of help to those who need it, based on the teachings of the Bible.
Randy Alcorn’s book about money in the context of the Christian faith explains that while many people don’t see finances as a central element of God’s teachings, the way you manage money is actually an integral part of living in a Christlike way.
Specifically, Alcorn reframes what we tend to think of as ‘our’ money and reinforces the idea that our worldly possessions, including money, belong to God.
This way of thinking about our finances encourages us to handle money in a way that centers Biblical principles.
Money, Possessions, & Eternity challenges the commonly-held belief that accumulating material wealth on earth is important. Instead, Randy Alcorn, the same author who wrote Managing God’s Money, highlights the importance of focusing on the treasures that await in the afterlife.
A lot of the Bible verses we have shared in this article talk about how important it is to give back to God in return for everything that He has given us. However, many Christians struggle with how to give back to God.
This book teaches people of the Christian faith how to develop the right mindset around money while strengthening their relationship with God, in order to learn how to use money to strengthen their faith and honor God.
Praying To God About Giving
“Faithful Father, thank you that you give the gift of abundant, eternal life. You have said that you are a Good Father who gives us good gifts. Your generosity overflows to us.
Everything we have is a gift from you. As we bring our offerings to you, we give back to you from the abundant blessings you have given us.
May our gifts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our God. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, and power and strength, be unto you our God forever and ever. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.” – Give Back to God Prayer, ConnectUS
“God of the Universe, thank you that your promises are sure, you are faithful, I can rely on you. Your word says that we will find joy in offering our time, talents, and money to meet the needs of others.
Help us to give freely, sacrificially and cheerfully towards the work of your kingdom. May you cause the seeds that we sow to grow into well-watered, fruitful trees of life.
Lord, bless us and keep us, make your face shine upon us. Turn your face towards us and give us peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.” – Cheerful Giving Prayer for the Offering, ConnectUS
“Loving Father, I come to You today with grateful thanks for the gifts and promises that so readily stream in my direction from You.
So often, Lord, my foolish heart is filled with worry and anxiety and I find myself looking at the problem of my supply instead of looking to You as my generous Supplier.
Please forgive this lack of trust in You, for I know that You have promised to supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory, for which I thank and praise You.
Lord, I want to be able to hand over each and every one of my worries to You, and to develop a generous and outgiving personality that keeps my eyes on Jesus, rather than continuing to be the ‘worrier’ that I have become.
I know that this does not honor Your name and I so desire to walk in the paths of righteousness and become a person with a generous heart that flows from Your own generosity, a grateful heart that is full of trust and thanks to You, Who have done so much for me.
Lord, I know that I cannot change my nature myself, but I do know that in the power of the Holy Spirit I can take my worries and anxieties captive and hand them over to You, turning them into purposeful praise, knowing that in all things You are the supplier of all I need. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.” – Prayer to Become a Giving Person, Knowing Jesus
Final Thoughts
It may not always feel easy to give generously of your money, time, and other possessions, since society conditions us to be self-interested.
However, as the Bible tells us, all of our worldly possessions, including money, have been generously given to us by God, and it is our duty as Christians to give to others and the Lord as much as we can.
To cultivate a giving and generous spirit, read these Bible verses and use the resources and prayers provided in this article on a regular basis.
Hi, my name is Caleb Johnson, and I am the creator of MorningbyMorning.com. I live in Virginia, with my wonderful wife, Jessica, who is the co-creator of MorningbyMorning.com with me.
Today, I am a pastor in our local church. Jessica and I love to get involved with the people of our town, and help them learn more about our faith.
This is what inspired us to create this site. Here, you can find advice, Bible verses, snippets, and answers to all of your problems. If you are facing adversity, struggling with your faith, or finding obstacles in your path, this site can help you find the light.
