But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
Parallel translations
- WEB But whatever has a defect, that you shall not offer; for it shall not be acceptable for you.
- BSB You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.
- NKJV Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf.
- NASB Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you.
- NLT Do not present an animal with defects, because the Lord will not accept it on your behalf.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Any animal with a defect must not be offered, for it will not be accepted.
Overview
God flatly rejects blemished sacrifices, refusing worship that offers Him the deficient or unwanted. Malachi later rebukes Israel for despising God by bringing crippled and diseased animals (Malachi 1:8). The demand for the flawless magnifies the wonder that Christ, the truly unblemished offering, was given in our place.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 17:1Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
- Mal 1:8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
- Deut 15:21And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.
- Heb 9:14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- 1 Pet 1:19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
- Lev 22:25Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
- Mal 1:13–14Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 22:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.