55 Bible Verses about Sacrifice

Jesus hearing that, said to them, they that are in health don't want a physician, but they that are sick. go then and learn the meaning of that expression, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice:" for I am not come to call saints, but sinners.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves. for then they would not have been repeated, because they who sacrificed being once purified, would not have been conscious of wanting any further atonement for their sins: whereas their annual sacrifices were accompanied with an anniversary commemoration of their sins. read more.
And indeed it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats, should take away the guilt of sin. wherefore at his appearing in publick, he saith, "sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure: then said I, lo I come, as in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God." after having said, "victims, oblations, holocausts, and sacrifice for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein," tho' they are all prescrib'd by the law; he immediately adds, "lo, I come to do thy WILL, O God." he abolishes the first to establish the second:

I am crucified with Christ, it is not I that now live, but Christ that liveth in me; the life I have in this body I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to you, that you present your bodies a living victim, holy, acceptable unto God, as the service of a rational being. and be not conformed to the present age: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may perceive what God requires of you is good, and acceptable, and perfect.

to this I am urg'd by the love I bear to Christ, persuaded as I am, that if one died for all, then were all in a dying state: and that he died for all, that they who are in a state of life should not live at their own discretion, but to the service of him who died for them, and rose again.

I know, being fully assured by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: it is only so to him that thinks it is unclean. now if your brother be endanger'd by your eating, you violate the obligations of love: for such a matter as eating, will you risk his life, for whom Christ died? Don't let our religion then be expos'd to reproach. read more.
for the gospel dispensation does not consist in meats and drinks, but in piety and peace, and spiritual joy. for he that thus pays his allegiance to Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore pursue those things which tend to peace, and mutual edification. do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence. it is better to abstain from flesh, and wine, and every thing whereby your brother is in danger of falling off. keep the persuasion you have, to your own conscience. blessed is he that approves himself to God, without making any difference about meats: for he that makes a difference, is self-condemn'd, if he eats against his own persuasion: for every action of that kind is sin .

Now as to things offered to idols, 'tis certain that the knowledge you all pretend to have, swells you with pride, but 'tis charity that edifieth. and if any man be conceited of his own knowledge, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. but if a man love God, the same is taught by him. read more.
As to the eating therefore of what is offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that the heathen deities have no real existence, and that there is but one God. for tho' there are several titular deities, both in heaven and on earth: such as the whole crowd of gods, and lords among the Gentiles; yet to us there is but one God, the father, from whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry. meat does not recommend us to God: if we eat, we are not the better men; if we don't eat, we are not the worse. but take care that this liberty of yours does not prove a scandal to the weak. for if any man see you who have a just notion of idols, sitting at table in their temple, will not the person who is wrong in his notions be incouraged to eat what is offered to idols, tho' contrary to his own opinion? so that your notions may endanger the life of thy weak brother, for whom Christ died. but when you thus offend against the brethren, by wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. wherefore if my eating makes my brother offend, I will never eat flesh rather than make my brother offend.

wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to knowing men: be you your selves the judges of what I say. the cup of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? read more.
for the bread being one, as many as we are, we are one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. consider the custom of the Jews by descent, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what say I then? that the idol, or that what is offered in sacrifice to the idol, is a matter of consequence? no, but that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not have you partake of the sacrifices of demons. you should not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you should not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? are all things lawful for me? yet all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? yet all things do not edify. Let no man consult barely his own interest: but every man that of others. whatever is sold in the shambles, that eat, without making any scrupulous enquiry. for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. if any of the unbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and you are disposed to go; whatever is set before you, eat, without asking any question out of a scruple of conscience. but if any man say to you, this is offered in sacrifice to an idol, don't eat, for his sake that mentioned it, and for conscience sake. when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience? if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. thus I endeavour to be acceptable to all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of others, so as they may be saved.

for Jesus likewise suffered without the gate, to show he was the expiatory victim for the people. let us therefore decamp, and bear the reproach of following his example: for we have. no settled corporation here, but are in expectation of that which is approaching. read more.
Let our sacrifice then, which we are to offer to God by Jesus Christ, be that of incessant praises, the offering of our lips, which celebrate his name: but don't forget to be beneficent to the community; for such sacrifice is acceptable to God.

One of the Scribes, that had heard their dispute, observing the propriety of his answers, propos'd this question to him, which is the principal commandment of all? Jesus answer'd him, the first of all the commandments is thus deliver'd, "hear, o Israel, the lord our God is the only lord. you shall therefore love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, to the utmost of your understanding, and all your faculties." this is the first commandment. read more.
and the second, which has an affinity to it, is this: "you shall love your neighbour as yourself." there is no other commandment greater than these. the Scribe replied, what you have said, master, is very true, there is one God, and no other but he. and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, with all its faculties, and to love one's neighbour as one's self is more acceptable than all the offerings and sacrifices in the world.

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "behold the lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world."

And I beheld, and saw before the throne, in the midst of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a lamb which seem'd to have been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sate upon the throne. when he had taken the book, the four animals, and the four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, every one of them having harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. read more.
and they sung a new song, saying, "thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation; and hast made us kings and priests unto our God: and we shall reign on the earth." Then in my vision I heard the voice of many angels which surrounded the throne, the animals, and the elders: to the number of ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, "worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." and every creature which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, "blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb for ever and ever."

this is the proof of the divine love, Christ expos'd his life for us: and we ought to expose our lives for the brethren.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.