16 Bible Verses about Formality

Wherefore My Lord hath said, - Because this people, hath drawn near with their mouth, And with their lips, have honoured me, But their heart, have they moved far from me, And so their reverence of me hath become A commandment of men in which they have been schooled,

Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, - for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.

For, lovingkindness, I desired, and not sacrifice, - and the knowledge of God, more than ascending-offerings.

Wherewith, shall I come before Yahweh? bow myself to God on high? Shall I come before him with ascending-sacrifice? with calves of a year old? Will Yahweh, be pleased, with thousands of rams? with myriads of torrents of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Ye shall not again bring in an empty, present, Incense, an abomination, is that unto me! New moon, and sabbath calling an assembly - I cannot endure, iniquity and sacred festival!

When the priests enter them, then shall they not go forth out of the holy place into the outer court, but there, shall they lay their garments wherein they minister for holy they are, and shall put on other garments, and so draw near unto that which pertaineth to the people.

I hate, I despise your festivals, - and can scent no fragrance in your solemn feasts. Nay, though ye cause to ascend unto me ascending-sacrifices, and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them , - nor, the peace-offering of your fat heifers, will I regard. Take thou away from me, the noise of thy songs, - Even the melody of thy harps, will I not hear.

For thou wilt not desire sacrifice - that I should give it, Ascending-offering, will not please: The sacrifices of God, are a spirit that is broken, - A heart - broken and crushed, O God, thou wilt not despise.

But, as these were going their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes, concerning John, - What went ye forth into the wilderness to gaze at? A reed, by a wind, shaken? But what went ye forth to see? A man, in soft clothing, arrayed? Lo! they who soft clothing do wear, are in the houses of kings. But why went ye forth? A prophet, to see? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

Then, there come unto Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and Scribes, saying - Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands, when they eat bread!

Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin, - and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law - the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss.

Whereas, now, having acknowledged God, - or rather, having been acknowledged by God, how turn ye back again unto the weak and beggarly elementary principles, unto which, over again, ye are wishing, to come into servitude? Days, ye do narrowly observer, and months, and seasons, and years: - I am afraid of you - lest by any means, in vain, I should have toiled for you!

If ye have died, together with Christ, from the first principles of the world, why, as though alive in the world, are ye submitting to decrees, -

But, of this, be taking note - that, in last days, there will set in perilous seasons; For men will be - fond of themselves, fond of money, ostentatious, arrogant, defamers, to parents, unyielding, unthankful, unkind, without natural affection, accepting no truce, given to intrigue, without self-control, uncivilized, unfriendly to good men,read more.
traitors, reckless, beclouded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but, the power thereof, denying! and, from these, turn away;

If, however, thou, art taking the name of Jew, and resting thyself upon law, and boasting in God, And art taking note of his will, and testing the things that differ - when receiving oral instruction out of the law, Art persuaded, moreover, that, thou thyself, art - a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,read more.
A trainer of the simple, a teacher of babes, having the forming of knowledge and truth in the law, - Thou, therefore, that art teaching someone else, thyself, art thou not teaching? Thou that proclaimest - Do not steal! Art thou, stealing? That sayest - Do not commit adultery! Art thou, committing adultery? That abhorrest sacrilege, Art thou, robbing temples? That in law dost boast, Through the transgression of the law, art thou dishonouring God? For the name of God, because of you, is defamed among the nations, - even as it is written. For, circumcision, indeed, profiteth - if, law, thou be practising; but, if thou be a transgressor of law, thy circumcision, hath become, uncircumcision If then, the uncircumcision, be guarding the righteous requirement of the law, shall not, his uncircumcision, as circumcision be reckoned? - And the uncircumcision by nature, completing the law, shall judge, thee, who, notwithstanding letter and circumcision, art a transgressor of law! For, not he who is one in appearance, is a Jew, nor is, that which is such in appearance in flesh, circumcision; But, he who is one in secret, is a Jew, - and, that is , circumcision, which is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, - whose, praise, is not of men, but of God.

Although, indeed, I, might have confidence even in flesh. If any other thinketh to have confidence in flesh, I, more: - Circumcised, the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, - regarding law, a Pharisee, Regarding zeal, persecuting the assembly, regarding the righteousness that is in law, having become blameless.read more.
But, whatever things, unto me, were gain, the same, have I accounted, for the Christ's sake, loss;