Curated semantic-search results from the Bible and early Jewish and Christian writings.
These passages are drawn from a current, full-corpus deep search.
Top matching passages
9/10 · exceptional
4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim ? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning. 6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me. 8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood. 9 Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities. 10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled. 11 Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.
8/10 · strong
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 14 At that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
8/10 · strong
4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
5/10 · good
13 For, if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would have given it: in whole burnt offerings Thou wilt have no pleasure. (1CL) 14 A sacrifice unto God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise. (1CL)
7/10 · strong
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
4/10 · fair
26 Don’t look at the sins of your people, but on those who have served you in truth. (WEB) 27 Don’t regard the doings of those who act wickedly, but of those who have kept your covenants in affliction. (WEB) 28 Don’t think about those who have lived wickedly before you, but remember those who have willingly known your fear. (WEB) 29 Let it not be your will to destroy those who have lived like cattle, but look at those who have clearly taught your law. (WEB) 30 Don’t be indignant at those who are deemed worse than animals, but love those who have always put their trust in your glory. (WEB) 31 For we and our fathers have passed our lives in ways that bring death, but you are called merciful because of us sinners. (WEB) 32 For if you have a desire to have mercy upon us who have no works of righteousness, then you will be called merciful. (WEB)
6/10 · good
1 Seeing then that He bestowed so great mercy on us; first of all, that we, who are living, do not sacrifice to these dead gods, neither worship them, but through Him have known the Father of truth. What else is this knowledge to Himward, but not to deny Him through whom we have known Him? (2CL)
4/10 · fair
45 Don’t be angry with us, but spare your people and have mercy upon your inheritance, for you have mercy upon your own creation.” (WEB)
6/10 · good
3 ‘My people, what have I done to you? Testify against Me how I have wearied you! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’” 6 With 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? 7 Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
5/10 · good
4 For He hath made manifest to us by all the prophets that He wanteth neither sacrifices nor whole burnt offerings nor oblations, saying at one time; (BRN) 5 What to Me is the multitude of your sacrifices, saith the Lord I am full of whole burnt-offerings, and the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and of goats desire not, not though ye should come to be seen of Me. or who required these things at your hands? Ye shall continue no more to tread My court. If ye bring fine flour, it is in vain; incense is an abomination to Me; your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot away with. (BRN) 6 These things therefore He annulled, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, being free from the yoke of constraint, might have its oblation not made by human hands. (BRN) 7 And He saith again unto them; Did command your fathers when they went forth from the land of Egypt to bring Me whole burnt offerings and sacrifices? (BRN) 8 Nay, this was My command unto them, Let none of you bear a grudge of evil against his neighbor in his heart, and love you not a false oath. (BRN) 9 So we ought to perceive, unless we are without understanding, the mind of the goodness of our Father; for He speaketh to us, desiring us not to go astray like them but to seek how we may approach Him. (BRN) 10 Thus then speaketh He to us; The sacrifice unto God is a broken heart, the smell of a sweet savor unto the Lord is a heart that glorifies its Maker. We ought therefore, bret… (BRN)