¹³ Stop bringing meaningless offerings!^(A)
    Your incense^(B) is detestable^(C) to me.
New Moons,^(D) Sabbaths and convocations^(E)—
    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
¹⁴ Your New Moon^(F) feasts and your appointed festivals^(G)
    I hate with all my being.^(H)
They have become a burden to me;^(I)
    I am weary^(J) of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands^(K) in prayer,
    I hide^(L) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.^(M)

Your hands^(N) are full of blood!^(O)

¹⁶ Wash^(P) and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;^(Q)
    stop doing wrong.^(R)
17 Learn to do right;^(S) seek justice.^(T)
    Defend the oppressed.^[a](U)
Take up the cause of the fatherless;^(V)
    plead the case of the widow.^(W)

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,^(A)
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice,^(A) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable^(A)—
    how much more so when brought with evil intent!^(B)

⁶ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,^(A)
    and acknowledgment^(B) of God rather than burnt offerings.^(C)

²¹ “I hate,^(A) I despise your religious festivals;^(B)
    your assemblies^(C) are a stench to me.
²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings^(D) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.^(E)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.^(F)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.^(G)
24 But let justice^(H) roll on like a river,
    righteousness^(I) like a never-failing stream!^(J)

⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,^(A)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?^(B)
Shall I offer my firstborn^(C) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?^(D)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly^(E) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly^[a](F) with your God.^(G)