²³ A curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false ones! for you make men give a tenth of all sorts of sweet-smelling plants, but you give no thought to the more important things of the law, righteousness, and mercy, and faith; but it is right for you to do these, and not to let the others be undone.

⁴² But a curse is on you, Pharisees! for you make men give a tenth of every sort of plant, and give no thought to right and the love of God; but it is right for you to do these things, and not let the others be undone.

⁸ He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God.

⁶ Because my desire is for mercy and not offerings; for the knowledge of God more than for burned offerings.

¹³ But go and take to heart the sense of these words, My desire is for mercy, not offerings: for I have come not to get the upright, but sinners.

³ To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.

²² And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.

³⁰ And every tenth part of the land, of the seed planted, or of the fruit of trees, is holy to the Lord.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith,

²³ Gentle behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law.

³⁷ And he said to him, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

³⁸ This is the first and greatest rule.

³⁹ And a second like it is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.

⁴⁰ On these two rules all the law and the prophets are based.

⁷ But if these words had been in your minds, My desire is for mercy and not for offerings, you would not have been judging those who have done no wrong.

¹⁹ Whoever then goes against the smallest of these laws, teaching men to do the same, will be named least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who keeps the laws, teaching others to keep them, will be named great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ For I say to you, If your righteousness is not greater than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never go into the kingdom of heaven.

¹⁵ Are you to be a king because you make more use of cedar than your father? did not your father take food and drink and do right, judging in righteousness, and then it was well for him?

¹⁶ He was judge in the cause of the poor and those in need; then it was well. Was not this to have knowledge of me? says the Lord.

¹² Twice in the week I go without food; I give a tenth of all I have.