1 Keeping the Law is worth many offerings; it is a fellowship offering in itself. 2 Returning a kindness is like a grain offering; giving to the poor is like a thanksgiving offering. 3 Keeping away from sin will please the Lord and make atonement for sin. 4 But don't come to the Temple without an offering; 5 the Law requires that you bring one. 6 When someone righteous offers a sacrifice and the fat drips down on the altar, a pleasant smell rises to the Most High. 7 The Lord will accept the offerings made by a righteous person and will not forget them. 8 Praise the Lord by making generous offerings to him; don't be stingy with the first of your crops. 9 Be cheerful with every gift you make, and when you pay your tithes, do it gladly. 10 Give to the Most High as he has given to you, just as generously as you can. 11 The Lord always repays and will do it many times over. 12 But don't try to bribe him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.
God's Justice
The Lord is fair and does not show partiality. 13 He is not prejudiced against the poor; when someone prays who has been wronged, the Lord listens. 14 When orphans and widows pour out their prayers, he does not ignore them. 15 The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.
16 Serve the Lord willingly, and the Lord will accept you; your prayers will reach the skies. 17 The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High, where it stays until he answers by seeing that justice is done and that the guilty are punished.
18 And the Lord will act quickly. He will show no patience with wicked people. He will take vengeance by crushing the heathen. He will completely wipe out the merciless and the arrogant, and will destroy the authority of the wicked. 19 He will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of the Lord's mercy, his people will be happy when he has judged their case. 20 In times of trouble his mercy is as welcome as rain after a long drought.
1 He that keepeth the law bringeth offerings enough: he that taketh heed to the commandment offereth a peace offering.
2 He that requiteth a goodturn offereth fine flour; and he that giveth alms sacrificeth praise.
3 To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord; and to forsake unrighteousness is a propitiation.
4 Thou shalt not appear empty before the Lord.
5 For all these things are to be done because of the commandment.
6 The offering of the righteous maketh the altar fat, and the sweet savour thereof is before the most High.
7 The sacrifice of a just man is acceptable. and the memorial thereof shall never be forgotten.
8 Give the Lord his honour with a good eye, and diminish not the firstfruits of thine hands.
9 In all thy gifts shew a cheerful countenance, and dedicate thy tithes with gladness.
10 Give unto the most High according as he hath enriched thee; and as thou hast gotten, give with a cheerful eye.
11 For the Lord recompenseth, and will give thee seven times as much.
12 Do not think to corrupt with gifts; for such he will not receive: and trust not to unrighteous sacrifices; for the Lord is judge, and with him is no respect of persons.
13 He will not accept any person against a poor man, but will hear the prayer of the oppressed.
14 He will not despise the supplication of the fatherless; nor the widow, when she poureth out her complaint.
15 Do not the tears run down the widow’s cheeks? and is not her cry against him that causeth them to fall?
16 He that serveth the Lord shall be accepted with favour, and his prayer shall reach unto the clouds.
17 The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds: and till it come nigh, he will not be comforted; and will not depart, till the most High shall behold to judge righteously, and execute judgment.
18 For the Lord will not be slack, neither will the Mighty be patient toward them, till he have smitten in sunder the loins of the unmerciful, and repayed vengeance to the heathen; till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptre of the unrighteous;
19 Till he have rendered to every man according to his deeds, and to the works of men according to their devices; till he have judged the cause of his people, and made them to rejoice in his mercy.
20 Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.