Bible – Bible Society of Zimbabwe

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Giving is a powerful act that reflects the heart of God and His desire for us to live generously. Throughout the Bible, we find numerous teachings that emphasize the importance and impact of giving. Whether it’s through offering our time, resources, or love, the act of giving not only blesses others but also enriches our own lives. Here are seven Bible verses that highlight the power of giving and encourage us to embrace a life of generosity.

1. Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When we give to others, especially those in need, we are not only helping them but also experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from generosity. It reminds us that true happiness is found in selflessness.

2. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The emphasis on giving cheerfully reminds us that our attitude matters. God values a heart that gives freely and joyfully, knowing that our contributions can lead to abundant blessings.

3. Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Generosity is not just about meeting the needs of others; it also brings personal renewal and prosperity. When we give, we often receive in return, not necessarily in material wealth, but in spiritual and emotional well-being. The act of giving refreshes both the giver and the recipient.

4. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Jesus emphasizes the abundance that comes from giving. The imagery of a generous measure being returned to us illustrates that our giving will not go unnoticed or unrewarded. When we give with an open heart, we can expect God’s blessings to overflow in our lives.

5. Matthew 6:3-4 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

We should give quietly and humbly, without seeking recognition or praise. The focus is on the sincerity and purity of our giving. God sees our acts of kindness, even when they are done in secret, and He will reward us accordingly. It reminds us that true giving is done for the benefit of others, not for personal glory.

6. Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Sharing what we have with others is a sacrifice that pleases God. This verse highlights the importance of being mindful of others’ needs and taking action to meet them. It serves as a reminder that our acts of generosity are not just good deeds; they are expressions of our faith and love for God.

7. James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

All we have comes from God. Recognizing that every gift we receive is from Him encourages us to be generous in sharing those gifts with others. When we give, we are participating in God’s work, distributing His blessings to those around us.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that giving is a powerful way to express our faith, love, and gratitude. These verses reveal that generosity not only impacts those we help but also enriches our own lives, bringing us closer to God and His purposes. Whether through our resources, time, or compassion, giving allows us to reflect God’s love in a tangible way, creating a ripple effect of blessings that extend far beyond what we can see. By embracing a spirit of generosity, we open ourselves up to experience the fullness of life that God desires for us.

How does the Bible view women? At face value, some of its messages and examples can seem oppressive or devaluing. But when you learn more about how Jesus responded to the Bible’s historical and cultural context, you may rethink your first impressions. Christ entered into a specific time and culture that had assumptions very different from ours. How can understanding the biblical context inform our reading? How can the context help us to better understand who Jesus is—what he values, loves, and expects of his followers? Take a look, traveling all the way back to the culture Jesus entered.

How the Greeks Viewed Women

Let’s begin with the philosophers. Writers and thinkers often infuse a culture with certain beliefs—and this was especially so in the Greco-Roman world. When examined closely, some of their ideas may seem surprisingly antiquated to the modern reader.

For example, the revered philosopher Plato believed that women should be confined to the home while men tended to the business of state and commerce. Aristotle went even further, teaching that women were inferior to men, incapable of abstract thought, and emotionally volatile. Thus husbands and fathers were to rule over their wives and daughters. This thinking reflects the basic attitude toward women during the classical period.

How did these attitudes affect a woman’s life? The picture is not a pretty one. A young Greek girl is routinely married off to an older man. Her husband is free to take a concubine, and romantic love is not expected within marriage. Her role is to bear and raise children and run the household. She will rarely leave the house. Her education is limited to learning domestic tasks. She is not permitted to vote or hold property. Why would she be? As Euripides the playwright notes, “A woman is handicapped by intellect.” Thucydides helps him along by writing, “The name of a decent woman, like her person, should be shut up in the house.”

How the Jews Viewed Women

By Jesus’s time Greek ideas—including these ideas about women—had gradually crept into Jewish culture, despite Old Testament writings to the contrary. In the creation account in Genesis, God creates human beings as both male and female, giving them co-equal stewardship over the earth (Genesis 1:26-30). Throughout the Old Testament, women are given equal access to God’s law and held equally responsible to keep it.

The Old Testament record is replete with women whose great courage often surpasses that of the men around them. The stories of Miriam, Rahab, Ruth, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther are prime examples of women whose insight and fortitude greatly influence the biblical narrative and the way God’s people understood themselves.

The Jewish understanding of women was so affected by exile, conquest, and trade that by Jesus’s time women were discouraged from studying Torah, God’s law, and encouraged to stay home to fulfill household duties. They attended synagogue assemblies seated separately from the men. The Greek-educated Jewish philosopher Philo, a contemporary of Jesus, saw women as having weak judgment and considered them unfit to learn the law. Some rabbis even went so far as to encourage men to limit their conversations with their own wives. What was the point of talking to someone with little knowledge of the law?

How Jesus Viewed Women

Into this distortion of God’s original intent for women comes a new teacher, the rabbi called Jesus of Nazareth. What do we know about Jesus’s relationships with women? Did he hold the same opinions as his culture? Let’s take a look at a few of his encounters with women.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman in public (John 4:4-30)

Jesus shocks the woman at the well by asking her for a drink. Thus he steamrolls over cultural taboos against men speaking to women as well as Jewish prejudice against Samaritans. “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?”

Jesus then reveals himself to her as the Messiah and the giver of the living water for which she longs.

Jesus teaches a woman one-on-one (Luke 10:38-42)

Women were not expected to study Torah, yet this renegade rabbi singles out one woman and opens Scripture to her. Mary “sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching.” This position was that of the traditional rabbinic student.

When her sister complains about needing help, Jesus tells her that “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus comforts a widow and confronts death (Luke 7:11-17)

“Don’t cry,” Jesus says to a grieving widow whose son lies dead in his coffin. He touches the coffin, defying ceremonial law. Jaws drop in amazement as the young man sits up and begins to speak. Jesus gives the widow’s son back to her, alive and well.

Jesus touches an “unclean” woman (Luke 8:43-48)

Ceremonially unclean due to a chronic hemorrhage, a woman touches the hem of Jesus’ cloak. “Daughter,” Jesus speaks tenderly. “Your faith has healed you. Shalom.”

Jesus touches an infirm woman (Luke 13:10-16)

The religious leaders object to Jesus’s laying his healing hands on a crippled woman on the Sabbath.

“You hypocrites!” Jesus does not mince words. “Any one of you would untie your ox or your donkey from the stall and take it out to give it water on the Sabbath.Now here is this descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept in bonds for eighteen years; should she not be released on the Sabbath?”

Jesus deals with a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)

The woman’s accusers are silenced by Jesus’s words, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” But he is gentle in his conversation with her.

Jesus allows Mary to anoint him (John 12:1-8)

When people are horrified at Mary’s extravagant outpouring of love, Jesus silences them all. Rather than rebuking her for touching him in this intimate way, he lavishes high praise on her. “Leave her alone; she’s anointing me for burial. This story will be told wherever the Gospel is preached.”

Jesus appears first to a woman after his Resurrection (John 20:11-18)

Although women were considered to be unreliable witnesses in court, Jesus assigns Mary Magdalene the task of being the first witness to the Resurrection.

Scripture’s Good News for Women

So what did Jesus really think of women? Did he touch them? Did he talk with them? Did he teach them? Did he give equal moral standing with men? Did he value them?

The record speaks for itself. First-century women in Palestine were second-class citizens. Sadly, some church leaders have still viewed and treated women in this way. But Jesus turned the tables on his culture, and his example calls us to do the same. Again and again, Jesus affirmed women’s value and dignity.

As the apostle Paul affirms in Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV): “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

1 And it came to passe, that on one of those dayes, as he taught the people in the Temple, and preached the Gospel, the hie Priests and the Scribes came vpon him with the Elders, 2 And spake vnto him, saying, Tell vs by what authoritie thou doest these things, or who is hee that hath giuen thee this authoritie? 3 And he answered, and sayde vnto them, I also will aske you one thing: tell me therefore: 4 The baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men? 5 And they reasoned within themselues, saying, If we shall say, From heauen, he will say, Why then beleeued ye him not? 6 But if we shall say, Of men, all the people will stone vs: for they be perswaded that Iohn was a Prophet. 7 Therefore they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. 8 Then Iesus sayd vnto them, Neither tell I you, by what authoritie I doe these things. 9 Then began he to speake to ye people this parable, A certaine man planted a vineyarde, and let it forth to husbandmen: and went into a strange countrey, for a great time. 10 And at the time conuenient he sent a seruant to the husbandmen, that they should giue him of the fruite of the vineyard: but the husbandmen did beate him, and sent him away emptie. 11 Againe he sent yet another seruant: and they did beate him, and foule entreated him, and sent him away emptie. 12 Moreouer he sent the third, and him they wounded, and cast out. 13 Then sayd the Lord of the vineyard, What shall I doe? I will send my beloued sonne: it may be that they will doe reuerence, when they see him. 14 But when the husbandmen sawe him, they reasoned with themselues, saying, This is the heire: come, let vs kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyarde, and killed him. What shall the Lord of the vineyarde therefore doe vnto them? 16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and wil giue out his vineyard to others. But when they heard it, they sayd, God forbid. 17 And he beheld them, and said, What meaneth this then that is written, The stone that the builders refused, that is made the head of the corner? 18 Whosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone, shall be broken: and on whomsoeuer it shall fall, it will grinde him to pouder. 19 Then the hie Priests, and the Scribes the same houre went about to lay hands on him: (but they feared the people) for they perceiued that he had spoken this parable against them. 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should faine themselues iust men, to take him in his talke, and to deliuer him vnto the power and authoritie of the gouernour. 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest, and teachest right, neither doest thou accept mans person, but teachest the way of God truely. 22 Is it lawfull for vs to giue Cesar tribute or no? 23 But he perceiued their craftines, and sayd vnto them, Why tempt ye me? 24 Shew me a penie. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and sayd, Cesars. 25 Then he sayd vnto them, Giue then vnto Cesar the things which are Cesars, and to God those which are Gods. 26 And they could not reproue his saying before the people: but they marueiled at his answere, and helde their peace. 27 Then came to him certaine of the Sadduces (which denie that there is any resurrection) and they asked him, 28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die hauing a wife, and hee die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise vp seede vnto his brother. 29 Now there were seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and he dyed without children. 30 And the second tooke the wife, and he dyed childelesse. 31 Then the third tooke her: and so likewise the seuen dyed, and left no children. 32 And last of all the woman dyed also. 33 Therefore at the resurrection, whose wife of them shall she be? for seuen had her to wife. 34 Then Iesus answered, and sayd vnto them, The children of this world marry wiues, and are married. 35 But they which shalbe counted worthy to enioy that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry wiues, neither are married. 36 For they can die no more, forasmuch as they are equall vnto the Angels, and are the sonnes of God, since they are the children of the resurrection. 37 And that the dead shall rise againe, euen Moses shewed it besides the bush, when he said, The Lord is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. 38 For he is not the God of the dead, but of them which liue: for all liue vnto him. 39 Then certaine of the Scribes answered, and sayd, Master, thou hast well sayd. 40 And after that, durst they not aske him any thing at all. 41 Then sayd he vnto them, Howe say they that Christ is Dauids sonne? 42 And Dauid himselfe sayth in the booke of the Psalmes, The Lord sayd vnto my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 43 Till I shall make thine enemies thy footestoole. 44 Seeing Dauid called him Lord, howe is he then his sonne? 45 Then in the audience of all the people he sayd vnto his disciples, 46 Beware of the Scribes, which willingly go in long robes, and loue salutations in the markets, and the highest seates in the assemblies, and the chiefe roomes at feastes: 47 Which deuoure widowes houses, and in shewe make long prayers: These shall receiue greater damnation.

A Question about Jesus' Authority

(Matthew 21.23-27Mark 11.27-33)

1 One day, Jesus was teaching in the temple and telling the good news. So the chief priests, the teachers, and the nation's leaders 2 asked him, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

3 Jesus replied, “I want to ask you a question. 4 Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”

5 They talked this over and said to each other, “We can't say God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. 6 And we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize. The crowd will stone us to death, because they think John was a prophet.”

7 So they told Jesus, “We don't know who gave John the right to baptize.”

8 Jesus replied, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”

Renters of a Vineyard

(Matthew 21.33-46Mark 12.1-12)

9 Jesus told the people this story:

A man once planted a vineyard and rented it out. Then he left the country for a long time. 10 When it was time to harvest the crop, he sent a servant to ask the renters for his share of the grapes. But they beat up the servant and sent him away without anything. 11 So the owner sent another servant. The renters also beat him up. They insulted him terribly and sent him away without a thing. 12 The owner sent a third servant. He was also beaten terribly and thrown out of the vineyard.

13 The owner then said to himself, “What am I going to do? I know what. I'll send my son, the one I love so much. They will surely respect him!”

14 When the renters saw the owner's son, they said to one another, “Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves.” 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? 16 I'll tell you what. He will come and kill those renters and let someone else have his vineyard.”

When the people heard this, they said, “This must never happen!”

17 But Jesus looked straight at them and said, “Then what do the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘The stone the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all’? 18 Anyone who stumbles over this stone will get hurt, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.”

19 The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses knew that Jesus was talking about them when he was telling this story. They wanted to arrest him right then, but they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes

(Matthew 22.15-22Mark 12.13-17)

20 Jesus' enemies kept watching him closely, because they wanted to hand him over to the Roman governor. So they sent some men who pretended to be good. But they were really spies trying to catch Jesus saying something wrong. 21 The spies said to him, “Teacher, we know you teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. 22 Tell us, should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”

23 Jesus knew they were trying to trick him. So he told them, 24 “Show me a coin.” Then he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”

“The Emperor's,” they answered.

25 Then he told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” 26 Jesus' enemies could not catch him saying anything wrong there in front of the people. They were amazed at his answer and kept quiet.

Life in the Future World

(Matthew 22.23-33Mark 12.18-27)

27 The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus 28 and said:

Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.

29 There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children. 30 The second one married his brother's widow, and he also died without having any children. 31 The same thing happened to the third one. Finally, all seven brothers married this woman and died without having any children. 32 At last the woman died. 33 When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? All seven brothers had married her.

34 Jesus answered:

The people in this world get married. 35 But in the future world no one who is worthy to rise from death will either marry 36 or die. They will be like the angels and will be God's children, because they have been raised to life.

37 In the story about the burning bush, Moses clearly shows that people will live again. He said, “The Lord is the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 38 So the Lord isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. This means that everyone is alive as far as God is concerned.

39 Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, you have given a good answer!” 40 From then on, no one dared to ask Jesus any questions.

About David's Son

(Matthew 22.41-46Mark 12.35-37)

41 Jesus asked, “Why do people say that the Messiah will be the son of King David? 42 In the book of Psalms, David himself says,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

Sit at my right side

43 until I make your enemies

into a footstool for you.’

44 David spoke of the Messiah as his Lord, so how can the Messiah be his son?”

Jesus and the Teachers of the Law of Moses

(Matthew 23.1-36Mark 12.38-40Luke 11.37-54)

45 While everyone was listening to Jesus, he said to his disciples:

46 Guard against the teachers of the Law of Moses! They love to walk around in long robes, and they like to be greeted in the market. They want the front seats in the synagogues and the best seats at banquets. 47 But they cheat widows out of their homes and then pray long prayers just to show off. These teachers will be punished most of all.

Luke 20