Micah 6

{An Israelite asks,} “What should I bring when I come to God, the God who lives in the highest {heaven}, and bow down before him? Should I bring offerings to burn; should I bring one-year-old calves {as sacrifices}? 7 Will God accept thousands of rams or vast quantities of olive oil? Should I sacrifice my firstborn child to pay for my sin? Can a sacrifice from my physical body compensate for my spiritual sin?” 8 {No!} God has already told you, human person, what is good and that he wants from you only this: He wants you to do what is just, to love being faithful to others, and to conduct yourself humbly as you live before your God. \* 9 God is calling out a message to the people of the city {of Jerusalem}. (Truly wise people revere you, God.) Listen carefully, you tribe {of Israel} and all {leaders} that God has appointed! 10 “It disgusts me that wicked people still have wealth in their houses that they got by cheating others, and that they use measures that are smaller than they should be. This is something that I have cursed. \* 11 No one is innocent who uses dishonest scales or a bag of deceptive weights. 12 The rich people in this city always act violently to others. All of the people who live here tell lies. Yes, they always speak deceitfully. \* 13 For my part, I will attack you severely. I will ruin you because of your sins. 14 As for you, you will eat {food}, but it will not satisfy you because it will rush right through you. You will try to save {people}, but you will not be able to rescue {anyone} and even if you do rescue a few, I will allow enemies to kill them. 15 As for you, you will plant crops, but you will not harvest them. As for you, you will press olives, but you will not get to use the olive oil. Yes, also with the wine—you will crush grapes, but you will not get to drink any of it. \* 16 These things will happen because you follow the {wicked} laws that King Omri established and do all of the {evil} things that King Ahab and his descendants practiced. You have lived according to what they advised, so I will destroy your city and cause people of other nations to scorn everyone who lives there. Other peoples will detest you, because that is what my people deserve.” \*