For (A)I desire steadfast love[a] and not sacrifice,
    (B)the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:6 Septuagint mercy

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

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And if you had known (A)what this means, (B)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

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If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a](A) you would not have condemned the innocent.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:7 Hosea 6:6

13 Go and learn (A)what this means: (B)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For (C)I came not to call the righteous, (D)but sinners.”

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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)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6

21 (A)“I hate, I despise your feasts,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

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21 “I hate,(A) I despise your religious festivals;(B)
    your assemblies(C) are a stench to me.

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11 (A)“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 well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
    or of lambs, or of goats.

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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)

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16 (A)He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
    (B)then it was well.
Is not this (C)to know me?
    declares the Lord.

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16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,(A)
    and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know(B) me?”
    declares the Lord.

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22 And Samuel said,

(A)“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
    as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, (B)to obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to listen than the fat of rams.

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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.

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Fear God

[a] (A)Guard your steps when you go to (B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to (C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Hebrew

Fulfill Your Vow to God

[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.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.

(A)To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

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

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No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; (A)no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

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No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.(A) No one who continues to sin has either seen him(B) or known him.(C)

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David's Charge to Solomon

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a (A)whole heart and with a willing mind, (B)for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. (C)If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

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“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion(A) and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart(B) and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,(C) he will be found by you; but if you forsake(D) him, he will reject(E) you forever.

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And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we (A)keep his commandments.

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Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

We know(A) that we have come to know him(B) if we keep his commands.(C)

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“Blessed are (A)the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.(A)

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