Gifts are significant communicative tools in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible which depict valuable spiritual and physical attributes. Giving and receiving gifts is presented as an act of love, a symbol of hope, and a manifestation of God’s generosity. In particular, spiritual gifts reflect the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, fostering unity, service, and growth within the community of believers.
What Are the Gifts According to the Bible?
The Bible alludes to an extensive array of gifts. Some of these gifts are physical or material, including food, clothing, and resources shared in kindness or almsgiving. Other gifts are spiritual, bestowed by the Holy Spirit, which serve to edify both the individual and the collective body of believers. These spiritual gifts, such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, can differ from person to person, reflecting the boundless diversity of God’s grace.
Why Does the Bible Encourage Gifting?
The Bible encourages giving as it underscores God’s inherent nature of generosity. To give selflessly and receive gratefully, with a heart of thankfulness, expresses the love and mercy of God. It’s also an act of faith and obedience to God’s commands. In essence, Christian giving is not just about transforming the life of the recipient, but also about deepening the giver’s relationship with God. It’s an opportunity to express gratitude and return to God a portion of what has been received, recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to God.
Who Are the Recipients of God-given Gifts?
Everybody is considered a recipient of God’s gifts in the Bible. The divine gifts of life, salvation, grace, and the Holy Spirit are not exclusive to any individual or group. Everyone has unique spiritual gifts God bestows to equip them for service. Furthermore, the Bible emphasizes that the underprivileged, the orphans, the widows, and strangers should be particular recipients of charitable giving, demonstrating a deep concern for social justice and compassion.
When Are Gifts Important in the Bible?
Gifts are important in the Bible at all times. They’re crucial in moments of celebration and hardship alike. During festivities, gifts serve as expressions of joy, gratitude, and fellowship. In times of scarcity or disaster, they provide tangible aid and symbolize solidarity and compassion. Furthermore, the giftedness of each person is important every day in the life of the Church. The use of spiritual gifts is encouraged routinely to edify the Church and to glorify God.
How to Use God’s Gifts According to the Bible?
According to the Bible, God’s gifts, both physical and spiritual, are to be used wisely and generously. The primary goal of utilizing these gifts is not for personal gain, but for the benefit of others and the glory of God. Physical gifts are to be shared liberally to meet the needs of others, particularly the less fortunate. Spiritual gifts are to be kindled and utilized to build up God’s kingdom, encourage fellow believers, and proclaim the gospel. The Bible emphasizes that all gifts should be used in love, serving one another humbly and wholeheartedly, as good stewards of God’s grace.
Below is our full list of bible verses on gifts (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Gifts
1 Peter 4:10
“10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
Related Themes: Serving Others Stewardship Volunteering Education
James 1:17
“17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Related Themes: Birthday Complaining Children Finances Gratitude
Romans 11:29
“29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
Related Themes: Repentance
Ephesians 2:8-9
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Related Themes: Faith Grace Life Pride Repentance
Romans 12:3-8
“3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Colossians 3:17
“17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Related Themes: Business Attitude Gratitude Thankfulness Dedication
2 Corinthians 9:15
“15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Related Themes: Birthday Thankfulness Gratitude
Acts 2:38
“38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Related Themes: Repentance Holy Spirit Baptism Forgiveness Omnipotence
Ephesians 2:8
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
Related Themes: Faith Grace Life Pride Repentance
Exodus 35:30-35
“30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.”
Related Themes: Creativity
1 Corinthians 12:4-7
“4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
Related Themes: Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
“1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
Related Themes: Holy Spirit Baptism Equality Working Together
Luke 11:9-13
“9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
Related Themes: Prayer Persistence Prayer
Romans 8:1
“1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Related Themes: Lust Criticism Frustration Trespassing Frustration
Ezekiel 36:25-27
“25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
Related Themes: Water Cleanliness Holiness Purity
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Related Themes: Holy Spirit Lust Health Holiness Omnipresence
Proverbs 19:17
“17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
Related Themes: Homelessness Strangers Business Money Serving The Poor
1 Corinthians 13:8
“8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
Psalm 145:15-17
“15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”
Isaiah 53:1-8
“1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”
Related Themes: Persecution Healing Discouragement Sickness Trespassing
John 14:26
“26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Related Themes: Holy Spirit Education Learning Guidance Memory
Psalm 119:104-106
“104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.”
Related Themes: Hate
Genesis 1:26
“26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
Related Themes: Earth Omnipotence Earth Greatness Creativity
Psalm 127:3
“3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6
“5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
Related Themes: Prayer Omnipresence Indulgence Omnipotence
Matthew 6:33
“33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
John 11:25-26
“25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
Related Themes: Life Resurrection Life Afterlife
John 15:12-14
“12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Related Themes: Strangers Love Friendship Homelessness
Luke 14:12-14
“12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
Related Themes: Hospitality Serving The Poor Strangers Education
Malachi 3:7-10
“7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.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.”
