If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.Matthew 12:7
Original language and places
Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.
Original language (Greek)
εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν· ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους.
- εἰei“If”Conditional · “if” · Strong's G1487G
- δὲde“however”Conjunction · from δέ · “but/and” · Strong's G1161
- ἐγνώκειτεegnōkeite“you had known”Verb, pluperfect, active, indicative, 2nd person plural · from γινώσκω · “to know” · Strong's G1097
- τίti“what”Interrogative pronoun, nominative, singular, neuter · from τίς · “which?” · Strong's G5101
- ἐστιν·estin“is;”Verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from εἰμί · “to be” · Strong's G1510
- ἔλεοςeleos“mercy”Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · “mercy” · Strong's G1656
- θέλωthelō“I desire”Verb, present, active, indicative, 1st person singular · “to will/desire” · Strong's G2309
- καὶkai“and”Conjunction · from καί · “and” · Strong's G2532
- οὐou“not [desire]”Particle, negative · “no” · Strong's G3756
- θυσίαν,thusian“sacrifice,’”Noun, accusative, singular, feminine · from θυσία · “sacrifice” · Strong's G2378
- οὐκouk“not”Particle, negative · from οὐ · “no” · Strong's G3756
- ἂνan“then would”Particle · from ἄν · “if” · Strong's G0302
- κατεδικάσατεkatedikasate“you have condemned”Verb, aorist, active, indicative, 2nd person plural · from καταδικάζω · “to condemn” · Strong's G2613
- τοὺςtous“the”Article, accusative, plural, masculine · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
- ἀναιτίους.anaitious“guiltless.”Adjective, accusative, plural, masculine · from ἀναίτιος · “innocent” · Strong's G0338
- Greek words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)