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

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(A)

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10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”(A)

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

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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 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor(A) and a violent man, I was shown mercy(B) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.(C) 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,(D) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.(E)

15 Here is a trustworthy saying(F) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners(G)—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy(H) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience(I) as an example for those who would believe(J) in him and receive eternal life.(K)

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32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”(A)

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

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The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(A) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(B) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(C)

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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)
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)
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)

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:8 Or prudently

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’(A)

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors(B) and the prostitutes(C) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(D) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(E) and the prostitutes(F) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(G) and believe him.

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18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”(A)

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Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?(A) Do not be deceived:(B) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers(C) nor men who have sex with men[a](D) 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers(E) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were.(F) But you were washed,(G) you were sanctified,(H) you were justified(I) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,(A) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

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10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](A)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](B)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](C)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](D)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e](E)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](F)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(G) it says to those who are under the law,(H) so that every mouth may be silenced(I) and the whole world held accountable to God.(J) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(K) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(L)

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God(M) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(N) 22 This righteousness(O) is given through faith(P) in[g] Jesus Christ(Q) to all who believe.(R) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(S) 23 for all have sinned(T) and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified(U) freely by his grace(V) through the redemption(W) that came by Christ Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  5. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  6. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
  7. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of

Or do you show contempt for the riches(A) of his kindness,(B) forbearance(C) and patience,(D) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(E)

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(F), when his righteous judgment(G) will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a](H)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep(A)

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels(B) in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] [a]

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.

Seek(A) the Lord while he may be found;(B)
    call(C) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(D) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(E)
Let them turn(F) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(G) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(H)

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31 God exalted him to his own right hand(A) as Prince and Savior(B) that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.(C)

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18 to open their eyes(A) and turn them from darkness to light,(B) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins(C) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’(D)

19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient(E) to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus,(F) then to those in Jerusalem(G) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,(H) I preached that they should repent(I) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.(J)

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30 In the past God overlooked(A) such ignorance,(B) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.(C) 31 For he has set a day when he will judge(D) the world with justice(E) by the man he has appointed.(F) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”(G)

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47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name(A) to all nations,(B) beginning at Jerusalem.(C)

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Then Jesus told them this parable:(A) “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?(B) And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’(C) I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.(D)

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’(E) 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 15:8 Greek ten drachmas, each worth about a day’s wages

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,(A) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.(B) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(C)

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