10 Hear the word of the Lord,(A)
you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!(B)
11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.(C)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings.(D)
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,(E)
and the calling of solemn assemblies(F)
I cannot stand iniquity(G) with a festival.
14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,(H)
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.(I)
Your hands are covered with blood.(J)

Purification of Jerusalem

16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.(K)
Remove your evil deeds from my sight.
Stop doing evil.(L)
17 Learn to do what is good.
Pursue justice.(M)
Correct the oppressor.[a]
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:17 Or Aid the oppressed

20 What use to me is frankincense from Sheba(A)
or sweet cane(B) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me.(C)

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21 I hate, I despise, your feasts!(A)
I can’t stand the stench
of your solemn assemblies.(B)
22 Even if you offer me
your burnt offerings and grain offerings,(C)
I will not accept them;(D)
I will have no regard
for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.(E)
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.(F)

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What should I bring before the Lord(A)
when I come to bow before God on high?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings,(B)
with year-old calves?
Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams(C)
or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,(D)
the offspring of my body for my own sin?

Mankind, he has told each of you what is good(E)
and what it is the Lord requires of you:(F)
to act justly,(G)
to love faithfulness,(H)
and to walk humbly with your God.(I)

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