Scripture
Genesis 14:18–20
“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God… And he gave him tithes of all.”
Numbers 18:21
“And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve.”
Leviticus 27:30
“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD.”
Malachi 3:8–10
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me… in tithes and offerings… Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.”
Nehemiah 13:11–13
“Why is the house of God forsaken?… Then brought all Judah the tithe… unto the treasuries. And I made treasurers over the treasuries… for they were counted faithful.”
Mark 12:41–44
“And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites… this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.”
John 12:6
“This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”
1 Corinthians 9:13–14
“Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple?… Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
Matthew 23:23
“Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin… these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Genesis 28:22
“And of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”
Hebrews 7:8
“And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.”
2 Chronicles 31:11–13
Hezekiah “commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD… and appointed” faithful overseers of the tithe.
Mark 11:18
“And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him.”
Acts 4:35
“And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.”
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.”
Spirit of Prophecy
Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 1, pp. 27–28= Manuscript 3, 1890
“Unworthy ministers may receive some of the means thus raised, but dare any one, because of this, withhold from the treasury, and brave the curse of God? I dare not… that is the sin of the erring one; the Lord will not hold you responsible for it… But do not commit sin yourselves by withholding from the Lord His own property.”
Gospel Workers, p. 226
“The tithe is sacred, reserved by God for Himself.”
The Desire of Ages, p. 615
Of the widow who gave into the temple treasury: “she believed the service of the temple to be of God’s appointment.”
Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 9, p. 16Source documents 1895
“And the General Conference is itself becoming corrupted with wrong sentiments and principles.” (Written of the consolidation of institutional power at Battle Creek.)
Last Day Events, p. 43VERIFYCompilation — locate original source & page
“If you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong… the same claim as does Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren.”
Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, p. 100VERIFY
“I would not advise that anyone should make a practice of gathering up tithe money.”
Daughters of God, p. 106VERIFYConfirm full context on printed page
“It has been presented to me for years that my tithe was to be appropriated by myself… as the money is not withheld from the Lord’s treasury… let every man, if he is wise, hold his peace.”
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 553VERIFYPull full page for surrounding context
“It would be poor policy to support from the treasury of God those who really mar and injure His work.” (Addressed to those who hire and retain workers.)
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, pp. 388–389VERIFY
“Every man, woman, and youth may become a treasurer for the Lord… an agent to meet the demands upon the treasury.”
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 261–262; vol. 2, p. 552VERIFYConfirm “receive and maintain” wording
Fearful woes are pronounced upon those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified as gospel workers.
Letter 41, 1894VERIFYAlso in 1888 Materials, vol. 3
“I was warned… not to shift the responsibility of my stewardship upon any institution or organization.”
General Conference Bulletin, 1901VERIFY
Administrators are not to “decide how the tithe shall be used, as though the tithe were a fund of their own.”
Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, p. 207; vol. 20, p. 102VERIFYConsolidation-crisis context
“God grant that the voices… that all the money… must go through the appointed channel at Battle Creek shall not be heard… All the means is not to be handled by one organization or one party.”
Church Documents
General Conference Tithe PolicyAdopted at Annual Council, October 14, 1985
“The foregoing policies do not apply to offerings. Members make the decision as to where their offerings are directed.”
Systematic Benevolence & the titheVERIFYConfirm dates before public use
Systematic Benevolence was adopted in 1859; the regular tithe (a tenth of income) was clarified and regularized by the church about 1876–1878.
Note: Citations marked VERIFY are still being confirmed against their printed source and should be checked before this page is made public. All others have been verified.