What does the Bible say about tithing and giving?
The tithe — giving a tenth — was commanded in the Old Testament; the New Testament emphasizes cheerful, generous, proportional giving from a willing heart rather than a fixed percentage.
In Israel the tithe (a tenth of income) supported the priests, the temple, and the poor. Malachi 3:10 challenges, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse… and test me in this.”
The New Testament never repeats the tithe as a law, but raises the bar of the heart: “Each one should give what he has decided… for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Many Christians use the tithe as a helpful starting point while remembering that everything belongs to God. The question is not merely “how much?” but “with what heart, and for whose glory?”
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.