To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable ¹  to the Lord than sacrifice. ² 

Then ¹  some of the experts in the law ²  said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” ³ 

Then Pharisees ¹  and experts in the law ²  came from Jerusalem ³  to Jesus and said, ⁴ 

“The ¹  experts in the law ²  and the Pharisees ³  sit on Moses’ seat.

But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.

Now some of the experts in the law ¹  were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds: ² 

Then ¹  some of the experts in the law ²  answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well!” ³ 

The chief priests and the experts in the law ¹  were there, vehemently accusing him. ² 

Then ¹  Pilate called together the chief priests, the ²  rulers, and the people,

Now a certain man, a Pharisee ¹  named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, ² 

You are observing religious ¹  days and months and seasons and years.

influenced by the hypocrisy of liars ¹  whose consciences are seared. ² 

But when the chief priests and the experts in the law ¹  saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, ²  “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant

“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and experts in the law. ¹  They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles.

Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law ¹  and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² 

saying, “The Son of Man must suffer ¹  many things and be rejected by the elders, ²  chief priests, and experts in the law, ³  and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” ⁴ 

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty ¹  toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. ²  For this is what pleases God. ³ 

The wicked person’s sacrifice ¹  is an abomination; how much more ²  when he brings it with evil intent! ³ 

“When they return to it, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations.

I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself.