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The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
    but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

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The Lord detests the sacrifice(A) of the wicked,(B)
    but the prayer of the upright pleases him.(C)

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29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

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29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(A)

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20 There’s no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba.
    Keep your fragrant calamus imported from distant lands!
I will not accept your burnt offerings.
    Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me.”

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20 What do I care about incense from Sheba(A)
    or sweet calamus(B) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;(C)
    your sacrifices(D) do not please me.”(E)

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10 Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
    Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
    says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
    of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
    I want no more of your pious meetings.
14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
    They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
    Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
    for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.

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10 Hear the word of the Lord,(A)
    you rulers of Sodom;(B)
listen to the instruction(C) of our God,
    you people of Gomorrah!(D)
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;(E)
I have no pleasure(F)
    in the blood of bulls(G) and lambs and goats.(H)
12 When you come to appear before me,
    who has asked this of you,(I)
    this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!(J)
    Your incense(K) is detestable(L) to me.
New Moons,(M) Sabbaths and convocations(N)
    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon(O) feasts and your appointed festivals(P)
    I hate with all my being.(Q)
They have become a burden to me;(R)
    I am weary(S) of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands(T) in prayer,
    I hide(U) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.(V)

Your hands(W) are full of blood!(X)

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27 The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable,
    especially when it is offered with wrong motives.

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27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(A)
    how much more so when brought with evil intent!(B)

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17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.

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17 I know, my God, that you test the heart(A) and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.(B)

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“For I, the Lord, love justice.
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
    and make an everlasting covenant with them.

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“For I, the Lord, love justice;(A)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant(B) with them.

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God detests the prayers
    of a person who ignores the law.

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If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.(A)

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24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

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24 God is spirit,(A) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

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21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Take your burnt offerings and your other sacrifices and eat them yourselves! 22 When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. 23 This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’

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21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(A) and eat(B) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(C) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(D) 23 but I gave them this command:(E) Obey(F) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(G) Walk in obedience to all(H) I command you, that it may go well(I) with you.

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But those who choose their own ways—
    delighting in their detestable sins—
    will not have their offerings accepted.
When such people sacrifice a bull,
    it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice.
When they sacrifice a lamb,
    it’s as though they had sacrificed a dog!
When they bring an offering of grain,
    they might as well offer the blood of a pig.
When they burn frankincense,
    it’s as if they had blessed an idol.

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But whoever sacrifices a bull(A)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s(B) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense(C)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,(D)
    and they delight in their abominations;(E)

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Approaching God with Care

[a]As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Verse 5:1 is numbered 4:17 in Hebrew text.

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.

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
    Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
    for it comes from honest lips.

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Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(A) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(B)
Hear(C) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(D)

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