Micah 6:6-8
New American Standard Bible
What God Requires of Mankind
6 (A)With what shall I come to the Lord
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come to Him with (B)burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
7 Does the Lord take pleasure in (C)thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of [a]oil?
Shall I give Him my (D)firstborn for my wrongdoings,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has (E)told you, mortal one, what is good;
And (F)what does the Lord require of you
But to (G)do justice, to (H)love [b]kindness,
And to walk [c](I)humbly with your God?
Micah 6:6-8
The Message
6-7 How can I stand up before God
and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams,
with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
* * *
8 But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson