What Does the Bible Say About Tithing?

The word tithe means a tenth. In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to give a tenth of their crops and livestock to support the Levites, the temple, and the poor. Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek before the law of Moses existed (Genesis 14:20), and Jacob promised a tenth to God (Genesis 28:22). Under Moses, tithing became a detailed national system. The New Testament never commands Christians to give exactly ten percent. Instead, it points to something deeper: generous, willing, cheerful giving that flows from a heart changed by grace. So the honest answer is that tithing is biblical, but the New Testament does not lay the tithe on the church as a law. Christians are free from the specific percentage, yet called to something greater than a percentage. This article walks through what the Bible actually says, what changed with Jesus, and how to think about your own giving.

What did the Old Testament actually require?

Israel’s tithe was not one simple payment. The Law set out several tithes that worked together.

• A tenth of all produce and livestock was holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30).
• That tithe went to the Levites, who had no land inheritance and served at the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 18:21).
• The Levites then gave a tenth of what they received, a “tithe of the tithe,” to the priests (Numbers 18:26).
• Every third year, a tithe was stored up for the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).

So an Israelite family might give well over ten percent in total. The tithe was tied to the land, the temple, and the priesthood. It was part of a whole system of worship that pointed forward to Christ.

When Israel neglected the tithe, the prophets rebuked them. Malachi is the best-known passage:

Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. — Malachi 3:8 (BSB)

And the promise that follows:

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. — Malachi 3:10 (BSB)

Those verses were spoken to a nation under the old covenant. They are still instructive about God’s care for His house and His people, but they are not a direct command to the church.

Does the New Testament tell Christians to tithe?

No. The New Testament never repeats the tithe as a rule for believers. Jesus mentioned tithing once, and He did not abolish it for Israel under the law:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. — Matthew 23:23 (BSB)

Notice what Jesus says. He does not tell them to stop tithing. He tells them they have the small thing right and the big things wrong. That fits His mission: He came to fulfill the law, not to patch it (Matthew 5:17). When He died and rose, the old covenant system, including the Levitical priesthood and the temple tithe, reached its end.

Hebrews makes this clear. The Levites collected tithes, but they were mortal. Melchizedek, who received Abraham’s tithe, points to a greater priesthood (Hebrews 7:5-10). If the priesthood has changed, the law tied to it has changed too. Christians are not under the Levitical code.

So what does the New Testament put in its place? Free, generous, purposeful giving.

Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. — 2 Corinthians 9:7 (BSB)

And Paul grounds Christian giving in the worker’s right to be supported:

Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. — 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 (BSB)

The principle remains: those who serve the church should be supported. The method changes from a fixed tenth to willing, proportionate, cheerful giving.

If the tithe is not required, how much should I give?

The New Testament gives no percentage. It gives a pattern.

First, giving is voluntary. Ananias and Sapphira were judged not for keeping back part of their money, but for lying about it. Peter told them that the money was theirs to keep or to give (Acts 5:4). The amount was theirs to decide.

Second, giving is proportionate. Paul told the Corinthians to set aside money “in keeping with his income” (1 Corinthians 16:2, BSB). That is a principle, not a percentage.

Third, giving is cheerful, not grudging. God cares about the heart behind the gift. Jesus praised the poor widow who gave two small coins because she gave out of her poverty (Mark 12:41-44).

Fourth, giving supports the work of the gospel and cares for the poor. The early church shared what they had so that no one among them was in need (Acts 4:34-35). Paul collected money for famine-stricken believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27).

Many Christians find the tithe a helpful starting point. It is a simple, historic benchmark. Others give more, some give less, and some give in seasons because of hardship. The New Testament leaves room for wisdom and prayer.

What about the storehouse and the local church?

Malachi’s storehouse was the temple. In the new covenant, the local church carries on the work of worship, teaching, and caring for believers. Supporting your church is a normal part of Christian life. Elders who preach and teach are worthy of support:

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” — 1 Timothy 5:18 (BSB)

Giving to your church is not the only giving God cares about. Scripture also calls believers to help the poor, the widow, and the stranger (James 1:27). But the local church is the ordinary place where Christians give, serve, and are accountable. If you are unsure how to give, talk with your pastor or a mature believer you trust.

How should I think about tithing in my own life?

Start with grace, not guilt. If you belong to Christ, you are not under the old covenant law. You are free. But freedom in Christ is not freedom to be stingy. It is freedom to give gladly, without fear of punishment and without pride in a percentage.

Pray about your giving. Ask God for wisdom. Look at your income honestly. Decide what you will give, and give it consistently and cheerfully. Support your local church. Remember the poor. Hold your money loosely. And keep your eyes on the One who gave everything for you:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. — 2 Corinthians 8:9 (BSB)

If tithing has been a source of fear or pressure, bring that to God in prayer. If it has been a source of pride, bring that too. The goal is not a number. The goal is a heart that trusts God and loves people. Read the passages above for yourself. Ask your pastor how your church uses what is given. And let your giving be one more way you live out the gospel.

Common questions

Is tithing still required for Christians today?

The New Testament does not command Christians to give a tenth. The tithe belonged to the old covenant system of land, Levites, and temple. Christians are called instead to give willingly, proportionately, and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7). Many believers still use ten percent as a helpful guide, but it is not a law.

What did Jesus say about tithing?

Jesus mentioned tithing in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42. He told the Pharisees they should not neglect tithing, but He also said they had neglected the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He did not set up tithing as a rule for the church after His resurrection.

Does Malachi 3:10 apply to Christians?

Malachi 3:10 was spoken to Israel under the old covenant, about bringing tithes to the temple storehouse. The principle of honoring God with your wealth still stands (Proverbs 3:9), but the specific command was tied to the temple system that Christ fulfilled.

How much should I give to my church?

The New Testament does not give a percentage. It tells you to give what you have decided in your heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, and to do it cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7). Pray about it, give consistently, support the work of the gospel, and remember the poor.