Hear this, you that crush the poor, and make the needy of the land to fail,5 Saying: When will the month be over, and we shall sell our wares: and the sabbath, and we shall open the corn: that we may lessen the measure, and increase the sicle, and may convey in deceitful balances,6 That we may possess the needy for money, and the poor for a pair of shoes, and may sell the refuse of the corn?9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that the sun shall go down at midday, and I will make the earth dark in the day of light:10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation: and I will bring up sackcloth upon every back of yours, and baldness upon every head: and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the latter end thereof as a bitter day.11 Behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will send forth a famine into the land: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord.12 And they shall move from sea to sea, and from the north to the east: they shall go about seeking the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.
Let us keep [the Feast of Annunciation] with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. From ancient times Israel kept their festival, but then it was with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, of which the prophet says, "I will turn their feasts into afflictions and lamentation and their joy into shame." But our afflictions our Lord has assured us he will turn into joy by the fruits of repentance.
Blessed are they who search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart.10 With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments.20 My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten.40 Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy justice.131 I opened my mouth and panted: because I longed for thy commandments.
To sum up, David in the Psalms speaks about obedience: "How shall a young person keep his path straight?" The answer comes immediately: "By keeping your Word with his whole heart." Jeremiah says, "These are the Lord's words: do not follow the paths of the Gentiles."
And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.11 And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?12 But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill.†13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.†
Christ came for all; how is it then that He says He came not for the righteous? Were there those for whom it needed not that He should come? But no man is righteous by the law. He shews how empty their boast of justification, sacrifices being inadequate to salvation, mercy was necessary for all who were set under the Law.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)