But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture:‘ I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’

‘我喜爱怜恤，不喜爱祭祀。’你们若明白这话的意思，就不将无罪的当作有罪的了。

‘我喜爱怜悯，不喜爱祭祀。’你们若明白这话的意思，就不将无罪的当作有罪了。

‘我喜爱怜悯，不喜爱祭祀。’你们若明白这话的意思，就不将无罪的当作有罪了。

如果你们明白‘我喜爱怜悯之心，而非祭物’这句经文的意义，就不会冤枉无辜了。

如果你们明白‘我喜爱怜悯，不喜爱祭祀’这句话的意思，就不会把无罪的定罪了。

你们如果明白‘我要的是怜悯，而不是祭祀’这话是什么意思，就不会把无罪的定为有罪了。

『我喜愛憐恤，不喜愛祭祀。』你們若明白這話的意思，就不將無罪的當作有罪的了。

『我喜愛憐憫，不喜愛祭祀。』你們若明白這話的意思，就不將無罪的當作有罪了。

『我喜愛憐憫，不喜愛祭祀。』你們若明白這話的意思，就不將無罪的當作有罪了。

如果你們明白『我喜愛憐憫之心，而非祭物』這句經文的意義，就不會冤枉無辜了。

如果你們明白‘我喜愛憐憫，不喜愛祭祀’這句話的意思，就不會把無罪的定罪了。

你們若明白了「我喜愛憐憫，不喜愛祭祀」是甚麼意思，就不至於定無罪的為有罪了。

你們如果明白『我要的是憐憫，而不是祭祀』這話是什麼意思，就不會把無罪的定為有罪了。

爾若知我欲矜恤、不欲祭祀之意、則不罪無辜者矣、

我欲矜恤、不欲祭祀、其意云何、爾如知此、則不擬無罪者矣、

經云、我欲矜恤、不欲祭祀、爾若知此言之意、則不罪無辜者矣、

「予愛仁慈、不愛祭祀」之精義、當勿罪無辜矣。

If you had known what these words mean,‘ I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Scripture says,‘ I want mercy and not sacrifice.’( Hosea 6:6) You don’t know what those words mean. If you did, you would not bring charges against those who are not guilty.

And if you had known what this means,‘ I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.

But if you had known what this means:‘ I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

But if you had known what this means,‘ I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.

But if ye had known what[ this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

If you had known what this means:‘ I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

But if you had known what this means,‘ I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Then he added,“ Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture:‘ I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves?Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

“ 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.When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?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.I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!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.Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— both are detestable to the Lord.

Jesus replied,“ Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.

You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.

The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’ words that are read every Sabbath.

For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.

He was also angry with Job’s three friends, for they made God appear to be wrong by their inability to answer Job’s arguments.

They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.