Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

This is the burden of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:

2 I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet all of you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved,

3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

4 Whereas Edom says, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says 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 has indignation for ever.

Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and all of you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”

6 A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And all of you say, Wherein have we despised your name?

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

7 All of you offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and all of you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that all of you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 And if all of you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if all of you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, plead to God that he will be gracious unto us: this has been by your means: will he regard your persons? says the LORD of hosts.

“But ask now for God’s favor. Will He be gracious? Since this has come from your hands, will He show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nothing? neither do all of you kindle fire on mine altar for nothing. I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the LORD of hosts.

For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

12 But all of you have profaned it, in that all of you say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his food, is contemptible.

“But you profane it when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is contemptible.’

13 All of you said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and all of you have snuffed at it, says the LORD of hosts; and all of you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus all of you brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? says the LORD.

You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts. “You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.