Gifts

Presents, given freely and without payment. Scripture lays considerable emphasis on salvation as a gift given by God to sinful, undeserving men and women.

Gifts given by God

His one and only Son, Jesus Christ

John 3:16 See also 2 Corinthians 9:14–15

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Salvation and eternal life

Romans 6:23 See also John 4:10; Romans 5:12–17, Romans 11:25–32; 1 Peter 3:7; Revelation 22:17

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grace

Ephesians 2:8–9 See also 2 Corinthians 9:8–11, 2 Corinthians 9:14–15; Ephesians 3:7, Ephesians 4:7–8

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

Holy Spirit

Acts 2:38 See also Luke 11:13; Acts 1:4, Acts 8:18, Acts 10:44, Acts 11:15; Hebrews 6:4

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 See also Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 1:4–7, 1 Corinthians 12:27–31, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Peter 4:10

Other gifts from God

James 1:17 Genesis 30:20; 1 Samuel 1:27; James 1:5 wisdom; 1 Corinthians 7:1–7; Ecclesiastes 3:13, Ecclesiastes 5:19

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

Gifts given to God

Psalm 68:18 See also Numbers 7:3, Numbers 18:9, Numbers 31:52; Deuteronomy 12:11, Deuteronomy 16:16–17; 2 Chronicles 31:12–14; Psalm 68:29, Psalm 76:11; Isaiah 18:7; Ezekiel 20:39; Matthew 5:23–24, Matthew 15:3–6 parallel Mark 7:9–13 condemnation concerning the Corban oath; Luke 21:1–4

You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.

Gifts given to false gods

Daniel 11:38 See also Ezekiel 20:25–26, Ezekiel 20:30–31

And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses— a god his fathers did not know— with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.

Gifts given by kings

To their subjects

Esther 2:18 See also 2 Samuel 6:19 parallel 1 Chronicles 16:2–3; 2 Samuel 11:8; Ezekiel 46:16–17; Daniel 2:6, Daniel 2:48, Daniel 5:13–17

Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

To other kings

2 Kings 16:8 See also 1 Kings 15:18–19; 2 Kings 12:17–18, 2 Kings 20:12 parallel Isaiah 39:1; Psalm 72:10

Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.

Gifts given to kings

2 Chronicles 17:11 See also 1 Samuel 10:27; 1 Kings 10:25 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:24; 2 Chronicles 17:5, 2 Chronicles 32:23; Isaiah 1:23; Micah 7:3

Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

Gifts given to the poor and needy

Acts 11:29–30 See also Esther 9:20–22; Psalm 112:9; Acts 10:4, Acts 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1–3; 2 Corinthians 8:16–21, 2 Corinthians 9:5

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Gifts given by fathers

Genesis 25:6 See also Matthew 7:7–11 parallel Luke 11:9–13

But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

Gifts given at marriage

1 Kings 9:16 See also Genesis 24:53, Genesis 34:11–12; Exodus 22:16–17; Deuteronomy 22:28–29; 1 Samuel 18:24–27

Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.

Gifts given to assuage anger

Proverbs 21:14 See also Genesis 32:13–21, Genesis 43:1–26; 1 Samuel 25:4–35

A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.