Matthew 9:13

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Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.

“But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’Hosea 6:6 for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”NU omits “to repentance”.”

— WEB

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

— KJV

“But go ye and learn what [this] meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

— ASV

Bible Verses About Repentance

Cross-references

Related verses via the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Mark 2:17 "When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the…"
Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”"
Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."
Luke 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”"
Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’Hosea 6:6 you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless."
1 Timothy 1:13-16 "although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
Proverbs 21:3 "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice."
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that…"

Commentary

But go ye and learn what that meaneth-- (Hos 6:6), I will have mercy, and not sacrifice--that is, the one rather than the other. "Sacrifice," the chief part of the ceremonial law, is here put for a religion of literal adherence to mere rules; while "mercy" expresses such compassion for the fallen as seeks to lift them up. The duty of keeping aloof from the polluted, in the sense of "having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," is obvious enough; but to understand this as prohibiting such intercourse with them as is necessary to their recovery, is to abuse it. This was what these pharisaical religionists did, and this is what our Lord here exposes. for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance--The italicized words are of doubtful authority here, and more than doubtful authority in Mar 2:17; but in Luk 5:32 they are undisputed. We have here just the former statement stripped of its figure. "The righteous" are the whole; "sinners," the sick. When Christ "called" the latter, as He did Matthew, and probably some of those publicans and sinners whom he had invited to meet Him, it was to heal them of their spiritual maladies, or save their souls: "The righteous," like those miserable self-satisfied Pharisees, "He sent empty away."

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)

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