1 Samuel 15:22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
22 And Samuel said,
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice
and to heed than the fat of rams.(A)
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.(A)
Hosea 6:6
New International Version
Psalm 51:16-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.(A)
17 The sacrifice acceptable to God[a] is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.(B)
Footnotes
- 51.17 Or My sacrifice, O God,
Psalm 51:16-17
New International Version
Proverbs 21:3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(A)
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
21 I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.(A)
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.(B)
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like water
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.(C)
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
33 and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(A)
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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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”(A)
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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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
What God Requires
6 “With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”(A)
8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?(B)
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
22 For in the day that I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to them or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.(A) 23 But this command I gave them, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.”(B)
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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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.(A)
7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.[b]
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”(B)
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Reverence, Humility, and Contentment
5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools, for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.[b](A)
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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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls
or of lambs or of goats.(A)
12 When you come to appear before me,[a]
who asked this from your hand?
Trample my courts no more!(B)
13 Bringing offerings is futile;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and calling of convocation—
I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.(C)
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.(D)
15 When you stretch out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.(E)
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove your evil deeds
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil;(F)
17 learn to do good;
seek justice;
rescue the oppressed;
defend the orphan;
plead for the widow.(G)
Footnotes
- 1.12 Or see my face
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 Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.(A)
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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
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