Zechariah 7:9 Cross References

Zechariah 7:9

9: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.

No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

The LORD is more pleased when we do what is just and right than when we give him sacrifices.

"How long will you judges hand down unjust decisions? How long will you shower special favors on the wicked?
"Give fair judgment to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.

For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop all your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land! Stop expelling them from their homes!

This is what the LORD says to the dynasty of David: Give justice to the people you judge! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Do what is right, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.

He gives justice to orphans and widows. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.
You, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

"How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.

For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.
Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone.
Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing,
and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well"--but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all--it is dead and useless.

"Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or volume.
Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry goods or liquids must be accurate. I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
You must be careful to obey all of my laws and regulations, for I am the LORD."

I said, `Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.'
"But you have cultivated wickedness and raised a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies--trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe!

"But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you completely forget about justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.

"No, the kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn.
I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
"If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the LORD will answer. `Yes, I am here,' he will quickly reply. "Stop oppressing the helpless and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.

Isn't this the same message the LORD proclaimed through the prophets years ago when Jerusalem and the towns of Judah were bustling with people, and the Negev and the foothills of Judah were populated areas?'"

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.

But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.
Do not make evil plots to harm each other. And stop this habit of swearing to things that are false. I hate all these things, says the LORD."

I will be merciful only if you stop your wicked thoughts and deeds and are fair to others;

This is what I told them: `Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Only do as I say, and all will be well!'

"Always judge your neighbors fairly, neither favoring the poor nor showing deference to the rich.

"Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land.
You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

"But if there are any poor people in your towns when you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them.
Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.
Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year of release is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the LORD, you will be considered guilty of sin.
Give freely without begrudging it, and the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.
There will always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share your resources freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

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