"God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). Jesus taught "Give, and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38) and "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Scripture calls for giving quietly (Matthew 6:3-4), sacrificially (Mark 12:43-44), and generously to people in need (Proverbs 19:17; 1 John 3:17), remembering that everything we give already came from God (1 Chronicles 29:14).
Generosity is one of the clearest marks of a heart changed by God. These twelve King James passages focus on giving: cheerful giving, giving in secret, sacrificial giving, tithing, and caring for people in need. For the wider topic of money, contentment, and greed, see our money page.
Give cheerfully
1. 2 Corinthians 9:7
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
Give what you have decided in your heart—not reluctantly, not under pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. Generosity is a joyful decision, not a guilt payment.
2. 2 Corinthians 9:6
"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."
The farmer's principle: sow sparingly, reap sparingly. In context, the harvest includes needs met and thanksgiving rising to God (2 Corinthians 9:11-12), not only personal return.
3. Luke 6:38
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Jesus pictures grain poured into the fold of a robe: pressed down, shaken together, running over. It follows His words on forgiving and not judging, so generosity of every kind comes back.
4. Acts 20:35
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Paul quotes a saying of Jesus not recorded in the four Gospels: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Hard work makes it possible to support the weak.
Give quietly and sacrificially
5. Matthew 6:3-4
"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."
Give quietly. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Giving for applause trades the Father's reward for people's praise.
6. Mark 12:43-44
"And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
The widow gave two small coins. Jesus measured her gift by what was left, not by its size: she gave "all her living."
7. 1 Chronicles 29:14
"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee."
David's prayer as Israel gave for the temple: everything comes from God, and we only give back what is already His. Giving is stewardship, not ownership.
8. Malachi 3:10
"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, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
The classic tithe passage: bring all the tithes into the storehouse and "prove me now herewith." Christians differ on how tithing applies today, but the call to trust God's faithfulness in giving remains.
Give to people in need
9. Proverbs 19:17
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He repays. No gift to someone in need is wasted.
10. Proverbs 11:24-25
"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
A paradox: the generous grow and the stingy shrink. "He that watereth shall be watered also himself."
11. Hebrews 13:16
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Doing good and sharing ("communicate" meant share) are sacrifices that please God. Giving is a form of worship.
12. 1 John 3:17
"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?"
Love that sees a need and shuts its heart is not God's love. Giving is love made visible.
A short prayer
Father, everything I have comes from You. Free me from grudging, fearful giving. Make me a cheerful giver who gives quietly, generously, and with open eyes to the needs around me. Thank You for giving Your Son, the greatest gift of all. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about giving?
Give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), generously (Luke 6:38), quietly (Matthew 6:3-4), and to those in need (Proverbs 19:17; 1 John 3:17). Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
What is a cheerful giver?
From 2 Corinthians 9:7: someone who gives as they have purposed in their heart, "not grudgingly, or of necessity." The Greek word for cheerful (hilaros) is where we get "hilarious"—glad, willing giving.
Does the Bible say to tithe 10%?
A tithe means a tenth, and the Old Testament commanded it (Malachi 3:10). Jesus mentioned tithing (Matthew 23:23), and the New Testament emphasizes generous, proportional giving "as God hath prospered him" (1 Corinthians 16:2). Many Christians use 10% as a starting point.
Where does the Bible say it is more blessed to give than to receive?
Acts 20:35, where Paul quotes the words of the Lord Jesus.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about money · Bible verses about blessing · Bible verses about gratitude · Bible verses about loving thy neighbor · Bible verses about thanksgiving
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