What does the New Testament say about tithing?
The New Testament mentions tithing only a few times, and never as a command to the church.
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Jesus rebuked religious leaders who carefully tithed even their garden herbs while neglecting justice, mercy and faith. He did not tell them to stop tithing, but He made clear that a tenth can never stand in for a changed heart. Christians read this verse in two ways: some see Jesus affirming the tithe for all time, while others note that He was speaking to people still under the Law of Moses, before the cross.
The other mentions are similar. A Pharisee in one of Jesus' parables boasted, “I give tithes of all that I possess” (Luke 18:12, KJV), and it was the humble tax collector who “went down to his house justified rather than the other” (Luke 18:14, KJV). Hebrews 7 recalls Abraham's tithe to show how great Melchizedek was, as a picture of Christ; some readers also see in it support for tithing today.
What the New Testament does give is teaching on generous giving. Paul organized a collection for “the poor saints which are at Jerusalem” (Romans 15:26, KJV) and told the churches how to give to it: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16:2, KJV). He praised the Macedonian Christians, whose “deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality” (2 Corinthians 8:2, KJV). And he wrote the New Testament's best-known words on giving:
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Paul names no percentage here. He describes giving that is planned ahead, generous, free from pressure and glad. Elsewhere he adds that willingness matters more than size: “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Corinthians 8:12, KJV). Jesus made the same point when He watched a poor widow drop two small coins into the temple treasury and said she had given more than all the rich (Mark 12:41-44). In Faithero you can read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul's longest teaching on giving, and have them read aloud.
The New Testament also expects Christians to support those who teach them (Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18) and to share with anyone in need: “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17, KJV).
In the late second century, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, set the two side by side. The Jews, he wrote, had consecrated a tenth of their goods to God, while Christians, having received liberty, set aside all they had for the Lord's purposes, like the poor widow who gave all she had (Against Heresies 4.18.2).
Should Christians tithe today? The three main views
Faithful, Bible-believing Christians answer this question in three main ways.
| View | What it holds | Key passages | An example |
|---|---|---|---|
| The tithe still applies | Christians should give at least a tenth; offerings go beyond it | Genesis 14:20; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23 | Seventh-day Adventists, whose official beliefs speak of returning tithes and giving offerings |
| A tenth as a starting point | No percentage is commanded, but a tenth is a wise place to begin or grow toward | 2 Corinthians 8 and 9; Proverbs 3:9 | The Episcopal Church, which calls the tithe a spiritual discipline, traditionally one-tenth |
| Generous giving, no fixed figure | Give regularly, in proportion to income, generously and cheerfully | 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 | The Catholic Catechism: each according to his abilities |
Sources: Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief 21 (Stewardship); The Episcopal Church glossary, Tithe; Catechism of the Catholic Church 2043.
1. The tithe still applies. Those who hold this view note that the tithe began with Abraham and Jacob, before the Law of Moses, so it did not end when the Law was fulfilled. Jesus said of the Pharisees' tithing, “these ought ye to have done” (Matthew 23:23, KJV), and Malachi's call has never been withdrawn. Seventh-day Adventists, for example, include “returning tithes and giving offerings” in their official statement of beliefs. In this view, a tenth is the floor and offerings go beyond it.
2. A tenth as a starting point. Others believe no percentage is commanded for Christians, but that a tenth is a wise, well-tested benchmark, and that grace should move people to give at least as freely as the Law asked. The Episcopal Church, for example, describes the tithe as a spiritual discipline of giving a portion of income, “traditionally one-tenth, as a grateful response to God's love.” In this view, ten percent is a goal to grow toward and, for many, a place to begin.
3. Generous giving, without a fixed figure. Others believe the tithe belonged to Israel's covenant, tied to the Levites, the land and the temple, and that the New Testament replaces a fixed figure with regular, proportional, cheerful giving (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7). For some that will be less than a tenth for a season; for many it should be more. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, for example, says the faithful have a duty to provide for the material needs of the Church, “each according to his abilities” (CCC 2043), without naming a percentage.
What all three agree on. Giving is worship, not a fee. It should be planned and regular, generous rather than leftover, and glad rather than forced. It supports the church and its ministers and cares for the poor. And it loosens money's grip on the heart: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21, KJV).
Does Malachi 3:10 promise that God will bless me if I tithe?
Malachi 3:10 is a real promise, and a generous one: God invites His people to test His faithfulness. It was spoken to Israel under the covenant of the Law, about the tithes that fed the temple and the Levites, and it promised blessing in the form Israel needed most, rain and harvest: “he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground” (Malachi 3:11, KJV).
The New Testament also teaches that God provides for generous people: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, KJV). Notice the purpose: enough, so that you can keep doing good. But the New Testament never presents giving as a way to get rich. It warns against people “supposing that gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5, KJV), and adds, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6, KJV). Be cautious of any teaching that promises a financial return for a donation.
At heart, Malachi's invitation is about trust: will you trust God with what you have? These Bible verses about faith are a good companion to that question.
How do I start giving?
Start with thanks
Giving begins with seeing that everything you have came from God. King David prayed, "all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee" (1 Chronicles 29:14, KJV).
Choose a share and give it regularly
Paul told each believer to set something aside every week "as God hath prospered him" (1 Corinthians 16:2, KJV). Pick a share of your income you can give each time you are paid, whether ten percent, more, or less for now, and make it automatic.
Give first, not last
"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase" (Proverbs 3:9, KJV). Setting your gift aside before other spending turns it from leftovers into worship.
Support your church and people in need
The New Testament asks Christians to support those who teach them (Galatians 6:6) and to share with the poor (1 John 3:17). Many Christians start with their local church, then give to missions and to people in need around them.
Give quietly
Jesus said, "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Matthew 6:3, KJV). Giving is between you and God, not a way to be seen.
If money is tight, start where you can
Christians who hold the first view would encourage you to tithe even now and trust God to provide; others would encourage you to start smaller. Either way, Paul says a gift "is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Corinthians 8:12, KJV), and Scripture also expects you to provide for your own household (1 Timothy 5:8). Give gladly what you can, and grow from there.
Grow over time
Look at your giving once a year. As your income grows, consider letting your giving grow faster than your spending.
Frequently asked
What is a tithe?
A tithe is a tenth. In the Old Testament, Israel gave a tenth of its crops and flocks to God (Leviticus 27:30-32). The tithe supported the Levites, who served at the tabernacle and temple (Numbers 18:21), was partly eaten in a celebration meal before the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22-23), and every third year fed the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Today many Christians use the word for giving a tenth of their income.
Is tithing biblical?
Yes, tithing runs through the Old Testament: Abram gave Melchizedek "tithes of all" (Genesis 14:20, KJV), Jacob vowed a tenth (Genesis 28:22), and the Law of Moses required it (Leviticus 27:30). In the New Testament Jesus mentions it (Matthew 23:23), but no verse commands the church to give a tenth. Instead the apostles teach regular, proportional, generous and cheerful giving (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Is tithing required in the New Testament?
The New Testament never gives Christians a command to tithe, and Christians disagree about what that means. Some, such as Seventh-day Adventists, hold that the tithe still applies because it began before the Law. Others treat a tenth as a good starting point, and others teach generous giving without a fixed percentage. All agree that Christians are called to give, and that "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7, KJV).
Should I tithe on my gross or net income?
The Bible does not say, because the tithe was given from crops and flocks, not from wages. Some Christians give a tenth of their income before taxes, reasoning that the firstfruits come first (Proverbs 3:9); others give from what they take home. Decide prayerfully, give regularly, and do not let the question become a reason to give less than you gladly can.
What does Malachi 3:10 mean?
Israel had stopped bringing its tithes, and God called His people back: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven" (Malachi 3:10, KJV). The storehouse was the store chambers of the temple, which fed the Levites (Nehemiah 10:38). Christians apply the verse in different ways, but it is a call to trust God with what you have, not a guarantee of wealth.
Do I have to give my tithe to my local church?
Christians differ. Some teach that the whole tithe belongs to the local church, reading the church as the "storehouse" of Malachi 3:10. Others give part to their church and part to missions and people in need. The New Testament asks believers to support those who teach them (Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18) and to care for the poor (1 John 3:17), so a faithful pattern usually includes both.
Giving from a full heart
The tithe is never really about the percentage. It is about whom you trust. Giving the first part of what you earn is a quiet way of saying that God, not your paycheck, is your security.
The best reason to give is the gift we have already received: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9, KJV). Start where you are, give gladly, and let it grow. If you want to begin with thanks, these prayers of gratitude are a good place to start, and What Is the Gospel? explains the grace that makes giving a joy rather than a payment.
What is a tithe?
A tithe is a tenth. The King James Version uses the two words side by side: “the tithe of the herd, or of the flock ... the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD” (Leviticus 27:32, KJV). In the Bible, the tithe was a tenth of what the land and the flocks produced, given back to God.
Before the Law. The first tithe in the Bible came long before Moses. After a battle, Abram met Melchizedek, “the priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18, KJV), who blessed him.
Later Jacob vowed, “of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (Genesis 28:22, KJV). Both were free acts of worship: Abram gave a tenth of the spoils of a battle (Hebrews 7:4), and Jacob made a vow he chose to make.
Under the Law. The Law of Moses made the tithe part of Israel's life.
The tithe supported the Levites, the tribe that served at the tabernacle and had no land of its own (Numbers 18:21). Part of it was eaten in a joyful meal before the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22-23), and every third year it was stored in each town for “the Levite ... and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow” (Deuteronomy 14:29, KJV). The tithe was worship, and it was also Israel's way of caring for its ministers and its poor.
In Malachi. The best-known verse on tithing comes from the prophet Malachi, at a time when Israel had stopped bringing its tithes. God called that robbing Him (Malachi 3:8), and then He gave an invitation.
The storehouse was the store chambers of the temple, where the tithes of grain, wine and oil were kept to provide for the Levites (Nehemiah 10:38; 13:12).