16 For (A)You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 (B)The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

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11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your (A)sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.

12 “When you come (B)to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more (C)futile[a] sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and (D)the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 Your (E)New Moons and your (F)appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 (G)When you [b]spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
(H)Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of [c]blood.

16 “Wash(I) yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
(J)Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke [d]the oppressor;
[e]Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us (K)reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
(L)They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:13 worthless
  2. Isaiah 1:15 Pray
  3. Isaiah 1:15 bloodshed
  4. Isaiah 1:17 Some ancient vss. the oppressed
  5. Isaiah 1:17 Vindicate

22 (A)For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, (B)‘Obey My voice, and (C)I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’

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For I desire (A)mercy[a] and (B)not sacrifice,
And the (C)knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness or loyalty

21 “I(A) hate, I despise your feast days,
And (B)I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
22 (C)Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
24 (D)But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.

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