Bible verse
If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
Matthew 12:7 · BSB
The verses around it, from Matthew 12.
3 Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
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.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,
10 and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11 He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
KJV
But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
ASV
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
ERV
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
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Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible, which is free of copyright restrictions for use on websites. Read the full Bible on Great Faith.