What does the Bible say about tithing?

Tithing — giving ten percent of your income — is one of those topics where Christians often feel guilty, confused, or manipulated, and it deserves a clear, honest look at what Scripture actually teaches.

Tithing in the Old Testament was a specific requirement of the Mosaic Law for the people of Israel. Numbers 18 and Deuteronomy 14 describe the tithe — essentially a ten percent levy on agricultural produce and livestock that supported the Levites, funded the temple, and provided for the poor. It was more like a tax within a theocratic national system than a voluntary gift.

The New Testament never commands Christians to tithe. Nowhere does Paul, Peter, John, or Jesus tell New Covenant believers to give ten percent. The New Testament teaching on giving is actually more radical than the tithe — and less specific about the percentage.

2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." The standard is not a percentage — it is cheerfulness, intentionality, and generosity. 2 Corinthians 8-9 holds up the Macedonian churches as a model: they gave "beyond their means" out of overflowing joy and genuine love for their brothers.

Luke 21:1-4 shows Jesus commending the widow who gave everything she had — two small coins — over the wealthy who gave large amounts. The standard is not the amount; it is the heart and the sacrifice.

So should Christians tithe? Many Christians use the ten percent as a starting point — a helpful, practical benchmark for disciplined giving. There is nothing wrong with that. But the New Testament vision is not a religious tax; it is generous, joyful, sacrificial giving out of gratitude for what God has given us. For some people, ten percent is a stretch. For others, ten percent is far too comfortable. The question is: are you giving generously, cheerfully, and in proportion to what God has given you?