To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.
MESSAGE
Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to GOD than religious performance.
NKJV
To do righteousness and justice [Is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
PHILIPS
RWEBSTR
To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
GWV
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to the LORD than offering a sacrifice.
NET
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable* to the Lord than sacrifice.*
NET
21:3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable1810
tn The Niphal participle בָּחַר (bakhar, “to choose”) means “choice to the Lord>” or “chosen of the Lord>,” meaning “acceptable to the Lord>”; cf. TEV “pleases the Lord more.”
to the Lord> than sacrifice.1811
sn The Lord> prefers righteousness above religious service (e.g., Prov 15:8; 21:29; 1 Sam 15:22; Ps 40:6-8; Isa 1:11-17). This is not a rejection of ritual worship; rather, religious acts are without value apart from righteous living.