Malachi 1
1 A prophecy: This message came from the Lord concerning Israel through Malachi.
The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.
2 I have loved you, says the Lord. But you ask, “How have you loved us?” Wasn't Esau Joseph's brother? the Lord responds. But I loved Joseph
I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, In what hast thou loved us? [Was] not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
3 and despised Esau. I have made Esau's mountain homeland into a wasteland, and turned his inheritance into a desert for jackals.
And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
4 The people of Edom may be saying: “We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the Lord Almighty says, They may try and build, but I will tear down. They will be called a land of wickedness, and the people those who make the Lord angry forever.
Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
5 You will see this destruction with your own eyes, and you will say, “The Lord is great, even beyond the borders of Israel.”
And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.
6 A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. So if I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? says the Lord Almighty to you priests who show contempt for me. But you ask, “How have we shown contempt for you?”
A son honoreth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I [am] a father, where [is] my honor? and if I [am] a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, In what have we despised thy name?
7 By making defiled offerings on my altar. Then you ask, “How have we defiled you?” By saying the Lord's table doesn't deserve respect.
Ye offer polluted bread upon my altar? and ye say, In what have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD [is] contemptible.
8 When you offer a blind animal as a sacrifice, isn't that wrong? Or when you offer an animal that is crippled or sick, isn't that wrong? Would you give such gifts to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Would he be kind and show favor to you? asks the Lord Almighty.
And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, [is it] not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now to thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
9 So why don't you try being kind to God, begging him to be merciful to you? But when you bring such offerings, why should he show favor to you? asks the Lord Almighty.
And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your person? saith the LORD of hosts.
10 I really wish one of you would shut the Temple doors to stop you lighting pointless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept offerings from you.
Who [is there] even among you that would shut the doors [for nought]? neither do ye kindle [fire] on my altar for naught. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
11 I am honored by nations from the farthest east to the distant west; everywhere people make offerings to me of incense and pure sacrifices. I am honored among the nations, says the Lord Almighty.
For from the rising of the sun even to the setting of the same, my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense [shall be] offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
12 But you dishonor me when you say the Lord's table doesn't deserve respect, and that its food can be treated with contempt.
But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD [is] polluted; and the fruit of it, [even] his provision, is contemptible.
13 You say, “All this is too much trouble!” and you sniff scornfully at it, says the Lord Almighty. But when you bring animals that are stolen or crippled or sick and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept what you're giving? asks the Lord.
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness [is it]! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought [that which was] torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this from your hand? saith the LORD.
14 Cursed are those who cheat by vowing to bring a ram as a sacrifice and then offers an imperfect animal to the Lord. For I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and I am respected among the nations!
But cursed [be] the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth to the LORD a corrupt thing: for I [am] a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name [is] dreadful among the heathen.
