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1 Samuel 15:22
New Living Translation
1 Samuel 15:22
New Living Translation
22 But Samuel replied,
“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
New International Version
1 Samuel 15:22
New International Version
22 But Samuel replied:
“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.
Hosea 6:6
New International Version
Hosea 6:6
New International Version
Psalm 51:16-17
New Living Translation
Psalm 51:16-17
New Living Translation
16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Psalm 51:16-17
New International Version
Psalm 51:16-17
New International Version
Proverbs 21:3
New Living Translation
Proverbs 21:3
New Living Translation
3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.
Proverbs 21:3
New International Version
Proverbs 21:3
New International Version
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(A)
Amos 5:21-24
New Living Translation
Amos 5:21-24
New Living Translation
21 “I hate all your show and pretense—
the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living.
Amos 5:21-24
New International Version
Amos 5:21-24
New International Version
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)
Mark 12:33
New Living Translation
Mark 12:33
New Living Translation
33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
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Mark 12:33
New International Version
Mark 12:33
New International Version
33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(A)
Matthew 9:13
New Living Translation
Matthew 9:13
New Living Translation
13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a] For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
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Matthew 9:13
New International Version
Matthew 9:13
New International Version
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a](A) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(B)
Footnotes
- Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6
Micah 6:6-8
New Living Translation
Micah 6:6-8
New Living Translation
6 What can we bring to the Lord?
Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
with offerings of yearling calves?
7 Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:6-8
New International Version
Micah 6:6-8
New International Version
6 With what shall I come before(A) the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?(B)
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(C)
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(D)
Shall I offer my firstborn(E) for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(F)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(G) and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a](H) with your God.(I)
Footnotes
- Micah 6:8 Or prudently
Jeremiah 7:22-23
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 7:22-23
New Living Translation
22 When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. 23 This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’
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Jeremiah 7:22-23
New International Version
Jeremiah 7:22-23
New International Version
22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(A) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(B) 23 but I gave them this command:(C) Obey(D) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(E) Walk in obedience to all(F) I command you, that it may go well(G) with you.
Psalm 40:6-8
New Living Translation
Psalm 40:6-8
New Living Translation
6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand[a]—
you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
7 Then I said, “Look, I have come.
As is written about me in the Scriptures:
8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
for your instructions are written on my heart.”
Psalm 40:6-8
New International Version
Psalm 40:6-8
New International Version
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(A)
but my ears you have opened[a]—(B)
burnt offerings(C) and sin offerings[b] you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.[c](D)
8 I desire to do your will,(E) my God;(F)
your law is within my heart.”(G)
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
- Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
- Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
Ecclesiastes 5:1
New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 5:1
New Living Translation
Approaching God with Care
5 [a]As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 5:1 Verse 5:1 is numbered 4:17 in Hebrew text.
Ecclesiastes 5:1
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:1
New International Version
Fulfill Your Vow to God
5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.
Isaiah 1:11-17
New Living Translation
Isaiah 1:11-17
New Living Translation
11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
Isaiah 1:11-17
New International Version
Isaiah 1:11-17
New International Version
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;(A)
I have no pleasure(B)
in the blood of bulls(C) and lambs and goats.(D)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,(E)
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!(F)
Your incense(G) is detestable(H) to me.
New Moons,(I) Sabbaths and convocations(J)—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon(K) feasts and your appointed festivals(L)
I hate with all my being.(M)
They have become a burden to me;(N)
I am weary(O) of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands(P) in prayer,
I hide(Q) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.(R)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:17 Or justice. / Correct the oppressor
Matthew 12:7
New Living Translation
Matthew 12:7
New Living Translation
7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a]
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Matthew 12:7
New International Version
Matthew 12:7
New International Version
7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a](A) you would not have condemned the innocent.
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:7 Hosea 6:6
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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