G-d prefers righteousness to sacrifices - Key Passages

G-d hates the sacrifices of the wicked person and their sacrifices are not pleasing to G-d. Most important teaching is that a wicked person cannot get his sins atoned for by bringing a sacrifice.

He needs to first repent and with a pure and clean heart can bring a sacrifice to G-d to show that he has turned away from him evil ways.

There is no sacrifice for a willful sin except that the person repent from his evil ways and return to G-d with a penitent heart and G-d will forgive the person. The Sin sacrifice is only for unintentional sins.

Also important to understand that a righteous person cannot die for the sins of a wicked person.

Isaiah 1:11 Of what use are your many sacrifices to Me? says the Lord. I am sated with the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle; and the blood of bulls and sheep and he goats I do not want. 12 When you come to appear before Me, who requested this of you, to trample My courts? 13 You shall no longer bring vain meal-offerings, it is smoke of abomination to Me; New Moons and Sabbaths, calling convocations, I cannot [bear] iniquity with assembly. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed seasons My soul hates, they are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing [them]. 15 And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you, even when you pray at length, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood.

Jeremiah 6:19 Hearken, O earth, behold, I bring evil to this people, the fruit of their thoughts, for they did not hearken to My words, and they rejected My instruction. 20 Why do I need the frankincense that comes from Sheba, and the good cane from a distant country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasant to Me.

Jeremiah 7:21 So says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Add your burnt offerings upon your sacrifices and eat flesh. 22 For neither did I speak with your forefathers nor did I command them on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning a burnt offering or a sacrifice. 23 But this thing did I command them, saying: Obey Me so that I am your God and you are My people, and you walk in all the ways that I command you, so that it may be well with you.

Hosea 6:6 For I desire loving-kindness, and not sacrifices, and knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7 But they, like Adam, transgressed the covenant; there they betrayed 

Hosea 8:13 As for the sacrifices they burn before Me, let them slaughter the flesh and eat it; the Lord does not desire them. Now He will remember their iniquity and visit their sins [when] they return to Egypt. 14 Israel has forgotten his Maker, and has built temples, and Judah has increased fortified cities, and I will set fire to his cities, and it will consume her palaces.

Hosea 9:4 They shall not pour libations of wine to the Lord, they will not please Him; their sacrifices are like bread of mourners to them, all those who partake thereof become contaminated, for their bread is for themselves, it should not come into the house of the Lord.

Amos 5:21 I hate, I reject your festivals, and I will not smell [the sacrifices of] your assemblies. 22 For if you offer up to Me burnt- offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept [them], and the peace offerings of your fattened cattle I will not regard.

Amos 5:23 Take away from Me the din of your songs, and the music of your lutes I will not hear. 24 And justice shall be revealed like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. 25 Did you offer Me sacrifices and meal-offerings in the desert forty years, O house of Israel?

Malachi 1:6 A son honors a father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My fear? says the Lord of Hosts to you, the priests, who despise My name. But you said, "How have we despised Your Name?" 7 You offer on My altar defiled food, yet you say, "How have we defiled You?" By your saying, "God's table is contemptible." 8 When you offer a blind [animal] for a sacrifice, is there nothing wrong? And when you offer a lame or a sick one, is there nothing wrong? Were you to offer it to your governor, would he accept you or would he favor you? says the Lord of Hosts.

Malachi 1:10 O that there were even one among you that would close the doors [of the Temple] and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I have no desire in you, says the Lord of Hosts. Neither will I accept an offering from your hand.

Malachi 1:13 And you say, "Here is a weary one," and you cause it pain, says the Lord of Hosts. And you brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame and the sick. And you bring an offering-will I accept it from your hand? says the Lord.

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His will. 9 The way of a wicked man is an abomination of the Lord, but He loves him who pursues righteousness.

Proverbs 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more if he brings it with plans of wickedness!

Proverbs 21:3 Performing charity and justice is preferred by God to a sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2 My prayer shall be established like incense before You, the lifting of my hands as the evening offering.

Psalm 51:18 For You do not wish a sacrifice, or I should give it; You do not desire a burnt offering. 19 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; O God, You will not despise a broken and crushed heart.

Psalm 51:21 Then You will desire sacrifices of righteousness, a burnt offering and a whole offering; then they will offer up bulls on Your altar.

Psalm 50:23 One who slaughters a confession sacrifice honors Me, and [I will] prepare the way; I will show him the salvation of God."

Psalm 40:7 You desired neither sacrifice nor meal offering; You dug ears for me; a burnt offering or a sin offering You did not request.

Psalm 4:6 Offer up sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.