< Malachi 1 >

1 The burden of the woorde of the Lord to Israel by the ministerie of Malachi.
The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of his messenger. Lay [it], I pray you, to heart.
2 I haue loued you, sayth the Lord: yet yee say, Wherein hast thou loued vs? Was not Esau Iaakobs brother, saith the Lord? yet I loued Iaakob,
I have loved you, says the Lord. And you said, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
3 And I hated Esau, and made his mountaines wast, and his heritage a wildernes for dragons.
and hated Esau and laid waste his borders, and made his heritage as dwellings of the wilderness?
4 Though Edom say, wee are impouerished, but we will returne and build the desolate places, yet sayeth the Lord of hostes, they shall builde, but I will destroy it, and they shall call them, The border of wickednes, and the people, with whome the Lord is angrie for euer.
Because one will say, Idumea has been overthrown, but let us return and rebuild the desolate places; thus says the Lord Almighty, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall be called The borders of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord has set himself for ever.
5 And your eyes shall see it, and yee shall say, The Lord will be magnified vpon the border of Israel.
And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The Lord has been magnified upon the borders of Israel.
6 A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruant his master. If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my feare, sayth the Lord of hostes vnto you, O Priestes, that despise my Name? and yee say, Wherein haue we despised thy Name?
A son honors [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord Almighty. You the priests are they that despise my name: yet you said, Wherein have we despised your name?
7 Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar, and you say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is not to be regarded.
In that you bring to mine altar polluted bread; and you said, Wherein have you polluted it? In that you say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and that which was set thereon you have despised.
8 And if yee offer the blinde for sacrifice, it is not euill: and if ye offer the lame and sicke, it is not euill: offer it nowe vnto thy prince: will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saieth the Lord of hostes?
For if you bring a blind [victim] for sacrifices, [is it] not evil? and if you bring the lame or the sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now to your ruler, [and see] if he will receive you, if he will accept your person, says the Lord Almighty.
9 And nowe, I pray you, pray before God, that he may haue mercie vpon vs: this hath beene by your meanes: will hee regard your persons, sayth the Lord of hostes?
And now entreat the face of your God, and make supplication to him. These things have been done by your hands; shall I accept you? says the Lord Almighty.
10 Who is there euen among you, that would shut the doores? and kindle not fire on mine altar in vaine, I haue no pleasure in you, sayeth the Lord of hostes, neither will I accept an offering at your hande.
Because even among you the doors shall be shut, and [one] will not kindle [the fire of] mine altar for nothing, I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands.
11 For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same, my Name is great among the Gentiles, and in euery place incense shalbe offred vnto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name is great among the heathen, sayeth the Lord of hostes.
For from the rising of the sun even to the going down [thereof] my name has been glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord Almighty.
12 But ye haue polluted it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof, euen his meat is not to be regarded.
But you profane it, in that you say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and his meats set thereon are despised.
13 Ye said also, Beholde, it is a wearines, and ye haue snuffed at it, sayth the Lord of hostes, and ye offred that which was torne, and the lame and the sicke: thus yee offred an offring: shoulde I accept this of your hand, sayth the Lord?
And you said, These [services] are troublesome: therefore I have utterly rejected them with scorn, says the Lord Almighty: and you brought in torn victims, and lame, and sick: if then you should bring an offering, shall I accept them at your hands? says the Lord Almighty.
14 But cursed be the deceiuer, which hath in his flocke a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth vnto ye Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, sayth the Lord of hostes, and my Name is terrible among the heathen.
And cursed [is the man] who had the power, and possessed a male in his flock, and whose vow is upon him, and who sacrifices a corrupt thing to the Lord: for I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is glorious among the nations.

< Malachi 1 >