If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.
- KJV But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
- NKJV But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.
- NASB But if you had known what this means: ‘I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
- NLT 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.’
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
Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for condemning his innocent disciples, quoting Hosea 6:6 to show that God prizes mercy over mere ritual.
Overview
Citing Hosea, Jesus exposes how the Pharisees' rigid Sabbath rules had blinded them to God's heart. They had elevated ceremonial sacrifice above compassion and so condemned the guiltless. Jesus, who is mercy incarnate, here defends his hungry disciples and reveals that true obedience flows from a heart attuned to God's character of steadfast love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Hos 6:6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Matt 9:13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- Mic 6:6–8With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
- Isa 1:11–17“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
- Prov 17:15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
- Acts 13:27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
- Matt 22:29Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
- Ps 109:31For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
- Jas 5:6You have condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you.
- Ps 94:21They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
- Job 32:3and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 12:7 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 Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.