Matthew 12:7

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

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

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 9:13 : 13 Go and learn what this saying means:‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
  • Hos 6:6 : 6 For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.
  • Mic 6:6-8 : 6 With what should I enter the LORD’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? 7 Will the LORD accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring– my own flesh and blood– for my sin? 8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God.
  • Matt 22:29 : 29 Jesus answered them,“You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God.
  • Acts 13:27 : 27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him, and they fulfilled the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.
  • Jas 5:6 : 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.
  • Job 32:3 : 3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty.
  • Ps 94:21 : 21 They conspire against the blameless, and condemn to death the innocent.
  • Ps 109:31 : 31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to deliver him from those who threaten his life.
  • Prov 17:15 : 15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent– both of them are an abomination to the LORD.
  • Isa 1:11-17 : 11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the LORD.“I have had my fill of burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want. 12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this– animals trampling on my courtyards? 13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! 14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning! 17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Matt 9:12-13
    2 verses
    79%

    12When Jesus heard this he said,“Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.

    13Go and learn what this saying means:‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

  • Matt 12:5-6
    2 verses
    76%

    5Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?

    6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

  • Hos 6:6
    75%

    6For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.

  • Matt 12:8
    73%

    8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

  • Luke 19:42
    72%

    42saying,“If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

  • Matt 12:10-12
    3 verses
    72%

    10A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus,“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him.

    11He said to them,“Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out?

    12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

  • Matt 15:5-7
    3 verses
    71%

    5But you say,‘If someone tells his father or mother,“Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,”

    6he does not need to honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition.

    7Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,

  • Luke 6:36-37
    2 verses
    71%

    36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

    37Do Not Judge Others“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

  • Matt 7:1
    71%

    1Do Not Judge“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

  • Matt 18:33
    70%

    33Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’

  • Mark 7:11-13
    3 verses
    70%

    11But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother,‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’(that is, a gift for God),

    12then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother.

    13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this.”

  • Jas 5:6
    70%

    6You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.

  • Acts 13:27
    70%

    27For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him, and they fulfilled the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.

  • Luke 12:56-57
    2 verses
    70%

    56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?

    57Clear the Debts“And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

  • Matt 27:4
    70%

    4saying,“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said,“What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”

  • Matt 12:2-3
    2 verses
    70%

    2But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him,“Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”

    3He said to them,“Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry–

  • Mark 11:17
    69%

    17Then he began to teach them and said,“Is it not written:‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

  • Matt 12:17
    69%

    17This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

  • Matt 12:37
    69%

    37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

  • Mark 3:4
    69%

    4Then he said to them,“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent.

  • Matt 11:22
    69%

    22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you!

  • Heb 10:8
    69%

    8When he says above,“Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take delight in them”(which are offered according to the law),

  • Jas 2:13
    69%

    13For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

  • Luke 10:14
    69%

    14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you!

  • Heb 10:5-6
    2 verses
    69%

    5So when he came into the world, he said,“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.

    6“Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.

  • Luke 6:9
    69%

    9Then Jesus said to them,“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”

  • Matt 7:12
    69%

    12In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

  • Luke 16:15
    69%

    15But Jesus said to them,“You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.

  • John 7:24
    68%

    24Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment.”

  • Matt 12:31
    68%

    31For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

  • Matt 23:25
    68%

    25“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

  • Matt 5:7
    68%

    7“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

  • Matt 11:24
    68%

    24But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!”

  • Matt 23:30
    68%

    30And you say,‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

  • Luke 11:39
    68%

    39But the Lord said to him,“Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

  • Matt 6:15
    68%

    15But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.

  • Mark 12:10
    68%

    10Have you not read this scripture:‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

  • Ps 40:6
    67%

    6Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. You make that quite clear to me! You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.