49 Bible Verses about Law, Letter And Spirit Of

Then came together to him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled (that is to say with unwashed) hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.read more.
And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there are, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, and of brazen vessels, and tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? He answered and said to them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men:

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at table in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are sick.read more.
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.

And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at table in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with publicans and sinners, they said to his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners. When Jesus heard it, he saith to them, They that are in health, have no need of a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans, and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering, said to them, They that are well need not a physician; but they that are sick.read more.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And he said to them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition, For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoever curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.read more.
And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of no effect through your traditions, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.

But he answered and said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever thou mightest be profited by me;read more.
And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. All therefore, whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye according to their works: for they say, and do not.read more.
For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you, shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe to you, ye blind guides, who say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things upon it. And whoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth upon it. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ye ought to have done, and not to leave the others undone. Ye blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whitened sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Thus ye also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye are witnesses to yourselves, that ye are the children of them who killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to eat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said to him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.read more.
Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold, all things are clean to you. But woe to you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone. Woe to you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said to him, Master, thus saying, thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe to you also, ye lawyers, for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! for ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear testimony, that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchers. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which hath been shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say to you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe to you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye have not entered in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

And he spoke this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.read more.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.read more.
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spit on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbors therefore, and they who before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore they said to him, How were thy eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they to him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that before was blind. And it was the sabbath when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness,read more.
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law: Thou therefore who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written.

Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for naught? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

And behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? And he said to him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith to him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,read more.
Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith to him, All these things have I kept from my youth: what lack I yet? Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus to his disciples, Verily I say to you, that a rich man shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Then answered Peter, and said to him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee? what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said to them, Verily I say to you, that ye who have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

And when he had gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good, but one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother.read more.
And he answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around, and saith to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith to them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them, saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say to him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Jesus answered and said, Verily I say to you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life.

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother.read more.
And he said, All these have I kept from my youth. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly will they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it, said, Who then can be saved? Then he said, The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And he said to them, Verily I say to you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the corn, and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath. But he said to them, Have ye not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him;read more.
How he entered into the house of God, and ate the show-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say to you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath. And when he had departed thence, he went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? that they might accuse him. And he said to them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it shall fall into a pit on the sabbath, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out; and it was restored to a sound state like the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through corn-fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and ate, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said to them, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath-days? And Jesus answering them, said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was hungry, and they who were with him;read more.
How he went into the house of God, and took and ate the show-bread, and gave also to them that were with him, which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said to them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered: And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Rise, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose, and stood forth. Then said Jesus to them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath-days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking around upon them all, he said to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,read more.
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region around Galilee.

And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath-days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. And in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,read more.
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the fame of him went out into every place of the surrounding country.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise raise herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thy infirmity.read more.
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and said to the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath, that they watched him. And behold, there was a certain man before him who had the dropsy. And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?read more.
And they held their peace. And he took him and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not forthwith pull him out on the sabbath? And they could not answer him again to these things.

After this there was a feast of the Jews: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent persons, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.read more.
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and agitated the water: whoever then first after the stirring of the water stepped in, was cured of whatever disease he had. And a certain man was there, who had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith to him, Wilt thou be healed? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is agitated, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith to him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was healed, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him that was cured, it is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that healed me, the same said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then they asked him, What man is that who said to thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed knew not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, thou art cured: sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath.

Jesus answered and said to them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave to you circumcision, (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers) and ye on the sabbath circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath receiveth circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have restored a man to sound health on the sabbath?read more.
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and he sat down and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman taken in adultery: and when they had set her in the midst, They say to him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.read more.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he raised himself, and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even to the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised himself, and saw none but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are those thy accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were assembled about him. Then one of them who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?read more.
Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.read more.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: there is no other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said to him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is no other but he. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then will he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.read more.
Then will the King say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and ye gave me food: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then will the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came to thee? And the king will answer and say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. Then will he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then will they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then will he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepeth the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfilleth the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?read more.
For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

For thou desirest not sacrifice: else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.read more.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: yes, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash ye, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spoke not to your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: But this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well to you.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.read more.
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what the LORD doth require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?read more.
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it is yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he this by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;read more.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The woman saith to him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith to her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.read more.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit to death: But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead by which we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:read more.
That the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For they that are according to the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised Christ from the dead will also revive your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a vivifying spirit. However, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.read more.
Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

For there is verily a disannulling of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and unprofitableness. For the law made nothing perfect, but the introduction of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh to God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:read more.
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said to him, The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man should have somewhat also to offer.read more.
For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, seeing there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See (saith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and groweth old is ready to vanish away.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.read more.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.