“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.

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)

¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice,^(A) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice,^(B) O God, is^[a] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart^(C)
    you, God, will not despise.

³ To do what is right and just
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(A)

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)

¹⁶ Wash^(A) and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;^(B)
    stop doing wrong.^(C)
17 Learn to do right;^(D) seek justice.^(E)
    Defend the oppressed.^[a](F)
Take up the cause of the fatherless;^(G)
    plead the case of the widow.^(H)

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,”^(I)
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;^(J)
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.^(K)
19 If you are willing and obedient,^(L)
    you will eat the good things of the land;^(M)
20 but if you resist and rebel,^(N)
    you will be devoured by the sword.”^(O)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(P)

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

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)