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115 Bible Verses about Giving First Fruit Offerings
Think about first fruits – that special offering we give to God. It's a way of saying "thank you" and showing our love for Him. In the Bible, it's often talked about with the first harvest or the firstborn livestock. But it's so much deeper than that, isn't it?
Giving our first fruits is really about acknowledging that everything we have comes from God. It's about honoring Him by giving Him the first and the best – not the leftovers. It's an act of trust, like saying, "God, I know you'll provide. I know you're the owner of everything, and I depend on you."
It's a good reminder to put God first in everything – not just our money, but our time, our talents, how we use what we have, even the decisions we make every single day. When we put God first, we're saying, "I trust you, God. I want your guidance in everything I do."
It's like James 1:181 says, "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created." That's pretty powerful, to think of ourselves as God's first fruits.
But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead.
The first handful of dough that is offered is holy. This makes all of the dough holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
“Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, bring an offering to the Lord. Gather your crops. Bring the first bundle of grain to the priest.He must lift up the grain and wave it in front of the Lord. Then the Lord will accept it from you. The priest must wave it on the day after the Sabbath.
God chose to give us new birth through the message of truth. He wanted us to be the first harvest of his new creation.
You will enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own. You will take it over. You will make your homes in the land.Now, Lord, I’m bringing you the first share of crops from the soil. After all, you have given them to me.” Place the basket in front of the Lord your God. Bow down to him.Then you and the Levites and the outsiders among you will be full of joy. You will enjoy all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your family.You will set apart a tenth of everything you produce in the third year. That’s the year for giving the tenth to people who have greater needs. You will give it to the Levites, outsiders and widows. You will also give it to children whose fathers have died. Then all of them will have plenty to eat in your towns.Speak to the Lord your God. Say to him, “I have taken your sacred share from my house. I have given it to the Levites, outsiders and widows. I have also given it to children whose fathers have died. I’ve done everything you commanded me to do. I haven’t stopped obeying your commands. I haven’t forgotten any of them.I haven’t eaten any part of your sacred share while I mourned over someone who had died. I haven’t taken any of it from my house while I was ‘unclean.’ And I haven’t offered any of it to the dead. Lord my God, I’ve obeyed you. I’ve done everything you commanded me to do.Look down from the holy place where you live in heaven. Bless your people Israel. Bless the land you have given us. It’s the land you promised to give to our people of long ago. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey.”This day the Lord your God commands you to obey all these rules and laws. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and with all your soul.Today you have announced that the Lord is your God. You have said you would live exactly as he wants you to live. You have agreed to keep his rules, commands and laws. And you have said you would listen to him.Today the Lord has announced that you are his people. He has said that you are his special treasure. He promised that you would be. He has told you to keep all his commands.He has announced that he will make you famous. He’ll give you more praise and honor than all the other nations he has made. And he has said that you will be a holy nation. The Lord your God has set you apart for himself. That’s exactly what he promised to do.When you do, get some of the first share of everything your soil produces. Put it in a basket. It’s from the land the Lord your God is giving you. Take your gifts and go to the special place he will choose. He will put his Name there.
The best of every first share of the people’s crops will belong to the priests. So will all their special gifts. The people must give the priests the first share of their ground meal. Then I will bless my people’s families.
And that’s not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves. We do this as we look forward to the time when God adopts us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them.
“I will give you all the finest olive oil and grain the people give me. And I will give you all the finest fresh wine they give me. They give all those things as the first share of their harvest.All the first shares of the harvest they bring me will belong to you. Everyone in your home who is ‘clean’ can eat it.
You must give the priests the first share of the harvest of your grain, olive oil and fresh wine. You must also give them the first wool you clip from your sheep.
“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said to them. “When all things are made new, the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne. Then you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones. You will judge the 12 tribes of Israel.
“Celebrate the Feast of Weeks. Bring the first share of your crops from your fields. “Celebrate the Feast of Booths. Hold it in the fall when you gather in your crops from your fields.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn’t give if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver.
You can bring them to the Lord as an offering of the first share of food you gather or produce. But they must not be offered on the altar as a pleasant smell.
And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering.
“Set apart for me the first boy born in every family. The oldest son of every Israelite mother belongs to me. Every male animal born first to its mother also belongs to me.”
“We will also be accountable for bringing the first share of our crops each year. And we’ll bring the first share of every fruit tree. We’ll bring them to the Lord’s house.“Each of us will bring our oldest son to the priests who serve there. We’ll also bring the male animals that were born first to their mothers among our cattle, herds and flocks. We’ll bring them to the house of our God. That’s what the Law requires.“We will also bring the first part of the meal we grind. We’ll bring the first of our grain offerings. We’ll bring the first share of fruit from all our trees. And we’ll bring the first share of our olive oil and fresh wine. We’ll give all those things to the priests. They’ll put them in the storerooms of the house of our God. And we’ll give a tenth of our crops to the Levites. They collect the tenth shares. They do it in all the towns where we work.
“Do not keep for yourself your grain offerings or wine offerings. “You must give me the oldest of your sons.
“ ‘When you enter the land, suppose you plant a fruit tree. Then do not eat its fruit for the first three years. The fruit is “unclean.”In the fourth year all the fruit will be holy. Offer it as a way of showing praise to me.But in the fifth year you can eat the fruit. Then you will gather more and more fruit. I am the Lord your God.
“We will also be accountable for bringing the first share of our crops each year. And we’ll bring the first share of every fruit tree. We’ll bring them to the Lord’s house.
Present a loaf made from the first flour you grind. Present it as an offering from the threshing floor.You must present the offering to the Lord. You must present it from the first grain you grind. You must do it for all time to come.
“Bring the best of the first share of your crops to my house. I am the Lord your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
Take your burnt offerings and sacrifices to that place. Bring your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. Take with you what you have promised to give. Bring any other offerings you choose to give. And bring the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers.You and your families will eat at the place the Lord your God will choose. He will be with you there. You will find joy in everything you have done. That’s because he has blessed you.
“Celebrate the Feast of Weeks. Bring the first share of your wheat crop. Celebrate the Feast of Booths. Hold it in the fall.
“Bring the best of the first share of your crops to the house of the Lord your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
“ ‘Suppose you bring to the Lord a grain offering of the first share of your food. Then offer crushed heads of your first grain that have been cooked in fire.
Be sure to set apart a tenth of everything your fields produce each year.Here are the things you should eat in the sight of the Lord your God. You should eat a tenth part of your grain, olive oil and fresh wine. You should also eat the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers. Eat all these things at the special place the Lord your God will choose. He will put his Name there. You will learn to honor him always.
You must present the offering to the Lord. You must present it from the first grain you grind. You must do it for all time to come.
“ ‘On the day you gather the first share of your crops, present to the Lord an offering of your first grain. Do it during the Feast of Weeks. Come together for a special service. Do not do any regular work.
“I will give you all the finest olive oil and grain the people give me. And I will give you all the finest fresh wine they give me. They give all those things as the first share of their harvest.
After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord.And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering.But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.
Take your burnt offerings and sacrifices to that place. Bring your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. Take with you what you have promised to give. Bring any other offerings you choose to give. And bring the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers.
“ ‘A tenth of everything the land produces belongs to the Lord. That includes grain from the soil and fruit from the trees. It is holy. It is set apart for him.
When you do, get some of the first share of everything your soil produces. Put it in a basket. It’s from the land the Lord your God is giving you. Take your gifts and go to the special place he will choose. He will put his Name there.
Now, Lord, I’m bringing you the first share of crops from the soil. After all, you have given them to me.” Place the basket in front of the Lord your God. Bow down to him.
Bring the entire tenth to the storerooms in my temple. Then there will be plenty of food. Test me this way,” says the Lord. “Then you will see that I will throw open the windows of heaven. I will pour out so many blessings that you will not have enough room to store them.
“The Israelites will give me a tenth of everything they produce. And I will give it to the Levites. They serve at the tent of meeting. I will give them the tenth for the work they do there.
A man came from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God 20 loaves of barley bread. They had been baked from the first grain that had ripened. The man also brought some heads of new grain. “Give this food to the people to eat,” Elisha said.
Speak to the Lord your God. Say to him, “I have taken your sacred share from my house. I have given it to the Levites, outsiders and widows. I have also given it to children whose fathers have died. I’ve done everything you commanded me to do. I haven’t stopped obeying your commands. I haven’t forgotten any of them.I haven’t eaten any part of your sacred share while I mourned over someone who had died. I haven’t taken any of it from my house while I was ‘unclean.’ And I haven’t offered any of it to the dead. Lord my God, I’ve obeyed you. I’ve done everything you commanded me to do.Look down from the holy place where you live in heaven. Bless your people Israel. Bless the land you have given us. It’s the land you promised to give to our people of long ago. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey.”
The order went out. Right away the people of Israel began to give freely. They gave the first share of the harvest of their grain, fresh wine, olive oil and honey. They also gave the first share of everything else their fields produced. They brought a large amount. It was a tenth of everything.
At that time some men were put in charge of the storerooms. That’s where all the gifts the people brought were placed. Those gifts included the first shares of their crops. They also included a tenth of everything the Law required. Crops were harvested from the fields around the towns. The people had to bring the shares of those crops that were required by the Law. They gave them to the priests and Levites. That’s because the people of Judah were pleased with the priests and Levites who were serving God.
Hezekiah gave an order to the people who were living in Jerusalem. He commanded them to give to the priests and Levites the share they owed them. Then the priests and Levites could give their full attention to the Law of the Lord.The order went out. Right away the people of Israel began to give freely. They gave the first share of the harvest of their grain, fresh wine, olive oil and honey. They also gave the first share of everything else their fields produced. They brought a large amount. It was a tenth of everything.
He killed the oldest son of each family in Egypt. He struck down the oldest son in every house in the land of Ham.
I also made plans for gifts of wood to be brought at certain appointed times. And I made plans for the first share of the crops to be brought. You are my God. Please remember me with kindness.
Take an offering for the Lord from what you have. Those who want to can bring an offering to the Lord. Here is what they can bring. “gold, silver and bronze
They must not sell or trade any of it. It is the best part of the land. It must not be handed over to anyone else. It is set apart to me.
Then Moses gave an order. A message was sent through the whole camp. It said, “No man or woman should make anything else and offer it for the holy tent.” And so the people were kept from bringing more offerings.There was already more than enough to do all the work.
Here is something to remember. The one who plants only a little will gather only a little. And the one who plants a lot will gather a lot.Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn’t give if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver.
But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you.”
I have received my full pay and have more than enough. I have everything I need. That’s because Epaphroditus brought me the gifts you sent. They are a sweet-smelling offering. They are a gift that God accepts. He is pleased with it.
One person gives freely but gets even richer. Another person doesn’t give what they should but gets even poorer.Anyone who gives a lot will succeed. Anyone who renews others will be renewed.
Don’t forget to do good. Don’t forget to share with others. God is pleased with those kinds of offerings.
Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come into the courtyards of his temple.
“How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You give God a tenth of your spices, like mint, dill and cumin. But you have not practiced the more important things of the law, which are fairness, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the last things without failing to do the first.
Every tenth part of herds and flocks will be holy. They will be set apart for the Lord. That includes every tenth animal that its shepherd marks with his wooden staff.No one may pick out the good animals from the bad. They must not choose one animal instead of another. But if anyone does, both animals become holy. They can’t be bought back.’ ”
On the first day of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make. Save the money so that you won’t have to take up an offering when I come.
You will enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own. You will take it over. You will make your homes in the land.Now, Lord, I’m bringing you the first share of crops from the soil. After all, you have given them to me.” Place the basket in front of the Lord your God. Bow down to him.Then you and the Levites and the outsiders among you will be full of joy. You will enjoy all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your family.
As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple offering boxes.Then Jesus said to them, “Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom.In many places there will be powerful earthquakes. People will go hungry. There will be terrible sicknesses. Things will happen that will make people afraid. There will be great and miraculous signs from heaven.“But before all this, people will arrest you and treat you badly. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison. You will be brought to kings and governors. All this will happen to you because of my name.And so you will be witnesses about me.But make up your mind not to worry ahead of time about how to stand up for yourselves.I will give you words of wisdom. None of your enemies will be able to withstand them or prove them wrong.Even your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends will hand you over to the authorities. The authorities will put some of you to death.Everyone will hate you because of me.But not a hair on your head will be harmed.Remain strong in the faith, and you will receive eternal life.He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.“A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.Those who are in Judea should then escape to the mountains. Those in the city should get out. Those in the country should not enter the city.This is the time when God will punish Jerusalem. Everything will come true, just as it has been written.How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! There will be terrible suffering in the land. There will be great anger against those people.Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be taken over by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles come to an end.“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the roaring and tossing of the sea.Terror will make people faint. They will be worried about what is happening in the world. The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from their places.At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. He will come with power and great glory.When these things begin to take place, stand up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The time when you will be set free will be very close.”Jesus told them a story. “Look at the fig tree and all the trees,” he said.“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said. “That poor widow has put in more than all the others.“When you see leaves appear on the branches, you know that summer is near.In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that God’s kingdom is near.“What I’m about to tell you is true. The people living now will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.“Be careful. If you aren’t, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. It will happen suddenly.That day will come on every person who lives on the whole earth.Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes.”Each day Jesus taught at the temple. And each evening he went to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.All the people came to the temple early in the morning. They wanted to hear Jesus speak.All these other people gave a lot because they are rich. But even though she is poor, she put in everything. She had nothing left to live on.”
So there were no needy persons among them. From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the money from the sales.They put it down at the apostles’ feet. It was then given out to anyone who needed it.
I will sacrifice an offering to you just because I choose to. Lord, I will praise your name because it is good.
In everything I did, I showed you that we must work hard and help the weak. We must remember the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him in the right way.
“But who am I? And who are my people? Without your help we wouldn’t be able to give this much. Everything comes from you. We’ve given back to you only what comes from you.
Do you really want to give? Then the gift is measured by what someone has. It is not measured by what they don’t have.
The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it. The world belongs to him. And so do all those who live in it.
My God will meet all your needs. He will meet them in keeping with his wonderful riches. These riches come to you because you belong to Christ Jesus.
Bring me thank offerings, because I am your God. Carry out the promises you made to me, because I am the Most High God.
This stone I’ve set up as a sacred stone will be God’s house. And I’ll give you a tenth of everything you give me.”
Don’t hold back good from those who are worthy of it. Don’t hold it back when you can help.Suppose you already have something to give. Don’t say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow. I’ll give it to you then.”
People of Israel, you will all serve me,’ announces the Lord and King. ‘You will serve me on my high and holy mountain in Jerusalem. There I will accept you. I will require your offerings and your finest gifts. I want you to bring them along with all your other holy sacrifices.
Command people who are rich in this world not to be proud. Tell them not to put their hope in riches. Wealth is so uncertain. Command those who are rich to put their hope in God. He richly provides us with everything to enjoy.Command the rich to do what is good. Tell them to be rich in doing good things. They must give freely. They must be willing to share.
Every man and woman who wanted to give came. They brought gold jewelry of all kinds. They brought pins, earrings, rings and other jewelry. All of them gave their gold as a wave offering to the Lord.
God supplies seed for the person who plants. He supplies bread for food. God will also supply and increase the amount of your seed. He will increase the results of your good works.You will be made rich in every way. Then you can always give freely. We will take your many gifts to the people who need them. And they will give thanks to God.
Sell what you own. Give to those who are poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. Store up riches in heaven that will never be used up. There, no thief can come near it. There, no moth can destroy it.Your heart will be where your riches are.
Give praise to the Most High God. He gave your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
“A son honors his father. A slave honors his master. If I am a father, where is the honor I should have? If I am a master, where is the respect you should give me?” says the Lord who rules over all. “You priests look down on me. “But you ask, ‘How have we looked down on you?’“You sacrifice ‘unclean’ food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we made you “unclean”?’ “You do it by looking down on my altar.You sacrifice blind animals to me. Isn’t that wrong? You sacrifice disabled or sick animals. Isn’t that wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord who rules over all.
Heal those who are sick. Bring those who are dead back to life. Make those who have skin diseases ‘clean’ again. Drive out demons. You have received freely, so give freely.
The Lord makes people poor. He also makes people rich. He brings people down. He also lifts people up.He raises poor people up from the trash pile. He lifts needy people out of the ashes. He lets them sit with princes. He gives them places of honor. “The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord. On them he has set the world.
Good things will come to those who are willing to lend freely. Good things will come to those who are fair in everything they do.
Another was Joanna, the wife of Chuza. He was the manager of Herod’s household. Susanna and many others were there also. These women were helping to support Jesus and the 12 disciples with their own money.
Then their father Israel spoke to them. He said, “If that’s the way it has to be, then do what I tell you. Put some of the best things from our land in your bags. Take them down to the man as a gift. Take some lotion and a little honey. Take some spices and myrrh. Take some pistachio nuts and almonds.
All the officials and people gladly brought their money. They dropped it into the chest until it was full.The chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials. Every time the officials saw there was a large amount of money in the chest, it was emptied out. The royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest came and emptied it. Then they carried it back to its place. They did it regularly. They collected a great amount of money.
Each one counted must be 20 years old or more. He must give an offering to the Lord.When you make the offering, rich people must not give more than a fifth of an ounce of silver. And poor people must not give less. The offering you give to the Lord will pay for your lives.
Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to honor the Lord your God. Give to the Lord anything you choose to give as an offering. Give, just as the Lord has given to you.
The people of Israel, including the Levites, must bring their gifts. They must bring grain, olive oil and fresh wine. They must put them in the storerooms where the objects for the temple are kept. That’s also where the objects are kept for the priests serving at the temple, the musicians and the men who guard the gates. “We won’t forget to take care of the house of our God.”
“People of Samaria, go to Bethel and sin! Go to Gilgal! Sin there even more! Bring your sacrifices every morning. Every third year, bring a tenth of everything you produce.Bake some bread with yeast. Burn it as a thank offering. Brag about the offerings you freely give. This is what you Israelites love to do,” announces the Lord and King.
Speak to the priest in office at that time. Tell him, “I announce today to the Lord your God that I have come to this land. It’s the land he promised to give us. He promised it to our people of long ago.”The priest will receive the basket from you. He’ll set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God.
Then the Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, “I have put you in charge of the offerings brought to me. The Israelites will give me holy offerings. I will give all their offerings to you and your sons. They are the part that belongs to you. They are your share for all time to come.
Your children will ask you, ‘What does this holy day mean to you?’Tell them, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice to honor the Lord. He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. He spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the Israelites bowed down and worshiped.
These are the rules for burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings and friendship offerings. They are also the rules for the offerings that are given when priests are being prepared to serve the Lord.
“Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?” asks the Lord. “I have more than enough of your burnt offerings. I have more than enough of rams and the fat of your fattest animals. I do not find any pleasure in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.Who asked you to bring all these animals when you come to worship me? Who asked you and your animals to walk all over my courtyards?Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can’t stand your worthless gatherings. I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon feasts, Sabbath days and special services.Your New Moon feasts and your other appointed feasts I hate with my whole being. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it.You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I do not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I am not listening to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.So wash and make yourselves clean. Get your evil actions out of my sight! Stop doing what is wrong!Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Help those who are treated badly. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows.
“When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.Instead, gather for yourselves riches in heaven. There, moths and rats do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them.Your heart will be where your riches are.“The eye is like a lamp for the body. Suppose your eyes are healthy. Then your whole body will be full of light.But suppose your eyes can’t see well. Then your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light inside you is darkness, then it is very dark!“No one can serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one of them and love the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and money at the same time.“I tell you, do not worry. Don’t worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don’t worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than eating? Aren’t there more important things for the body than clothes?Look at the birds of the air. They don’t plant or gather crops. They don’t put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are?Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or make clothing.But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all his royal robes was dressed like one of these flowers.When you give to needy people, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won’t he dress you even better? Your faith is so small! After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire.So don’t worry. Don’t say, ‘What will we eat?’ Or, ‘What will we drink?’ Or, ‘What will we wear?’People who are ungodly run after all those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you.So don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.
You don’t take delight in sacrifice. If you did, I would bring it. You don’t take pleasure in burnt offerings.The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. God, you will gladly accept a heart that is broken because of sadness over sin.
But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took.”
Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person?
Anyone who crushes poor people makes fun of their Maker. But anyone who is kind to those in need honors God.
“The King will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you did for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come to him. Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.
“I will make you into a great nation. And I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing to others.
Those who give to poor people will have all they need. But those who close their eyes to the poor will receive many curses.
Blessed are those who care about weak people. When they are in trouble, the Lord saves them.
Each of you must bring a gift. Give to the Lord your God, just as he has given to you.
In the same way, let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings. Let them talk about what he has done as they sing with joy.
“ ‘Suppose anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord. Then their offering must be made out of the finest flour. They must pour olive oil on it. They must also put incense on it.The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and the priests in his family line. It is a very holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.“ ‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast. You must not add any yeast or honey to a food offering presented to the Lord.You can bring them to the Lord as an offering of the first share of food you gather or produce. But they must not be offered on the altar as a pleasant smell.Put salt on all your grain offerings. Salt stands for the lasting covenant between you and your God. So do not leave it out of your grain offerings. Add salt to all your offerings.“ ‘Suppose you bring to the Lord a grain offering of the first share of your food. Then offer crushed heads of your first grain that have been cooked in fire.Put olive oil and incense on the grain. It is a grain offering.The priest must burn part of the crushed grain and the oil. It will remind you that all good things come from the Lord. The priest must burn it together with all the incense. It is a food offering presented to the Lord.They must take it to the priests in Aaron’s family line. A priest must take a handful of the flour and oil. He must mix them with all the incense. Then he must burn that part on the altar. It will be a reminder that all good things come from the Lord. It is a food offering. Its smell pleases the Lord.The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and to the priests in his family line. It is a very holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.
All the believers were together. They shared everything they had.They sold property and other things they owned. They gave to anyone who needed something.
Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
You do well in everything else. You do well in faith and in speaking. You do well in knowledge and in complete commitment. And you do well in the love we have helped to start in you. So make sure that you also do well in the grace of giving to others.