“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.

⁶ I want you to show love,^[a]
    not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me^[b]
    more than I want burnt offerings.

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.

³ The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
    than when we offer him sacrifices.

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.

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.

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.”