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What God Requires

“With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”(A)
He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God?(B)

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The Nature of True Righteousness

How am I to present myself in the Lord’s presence
    and bow in the presence of the High God?
Should I present myself with burnt offerings,
    with year-old calves?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    or with endless[a] rivers of oil?
Am I to give my firstborn to pay for[b] my rebellion,
    the fruit of my body in exchange for[c] my soul?
He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good
    and what the Lord is requiring from you—
to act with justice,
    to treasure the Lord’s[d] gracious love,
        and to walk humbly in the company of your God.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:7 Lit. with ten thousand
  2. Micah 6:7 The Heb. lacks to pay for
  3. Micah 6:7 The Heb. lacks in exchange for
  4. Micah 6:8 The Heb. lacks the Lord’s