Malachi 1
1 The prophecy of the word of the Lord to Israel by means of Malachi.
A prophecy: This message came from the Lord concerning Israel through Malachi.
2 I have loved you, so hath said the Lord: yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Is not Esau brother to Jacob? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob;
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
3 And Esau I hated; and I rendered his mountains a desert, and his heritage a dwelling for the monsters of the wilderness.
and despised Esau. I have made Esau's mountain homeland into a wasteland, and turned his inheritance into a desert for jackals.
4 Should Edom even say, We are impoverished; but we will return and build the ruined places: thus hath said the Lord of hosts, They may indeed build, but I will surely throw down; and men shall call them, The territory of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation to eternity.
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.
5 And your eyes shall see it; and ye shall then say, The Lord will be magnified beyond the territory of Israel.
You will see this destruction with your own eyes, and you will say, “The Lord is great, even beyond the borders of Israel.”
6 A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name; and ye say, wherein have we despised thy name?
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?”
7 Ye offer upon my altar polluted bread; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.
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.
8 And if ye bring near the blind to sacrifice it, is this not evil? and if ye bring near the lame and the sick, is this not evil? do but present it unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or receive thee with favor? saith the Lord of hosts.
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.
9 And now, I pray you, beseech the presence of God that he may be gracious unto us; from your hand hath this thing come: will he receive one of you with favor? saith the Lord of hosts.
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.
10 Oh that there were some one among you that would lock up the doors [of the sanctuary], that ye might not light up my altar for nought: I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept in favor an offering from your hand.
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.
11 For from the rising of the sun even unto his going down my name is great among the nations; and in every place incense is burnt and there is offered unto my name, even a pure offering; for great is my name among the nations, saith the Lord of hosts.
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.
12 But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and by the assertion, Its food is contemptible.
But you dishonor me when you say the Lord's table doesn't deserve respect, and that its food can be treated with contempt.
13 And ye have said, Behold, what a wearisome task is it! and ye have left it to famish, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye have brought what was robbed, and the lame, and the sick, and thus ye have brought an offering: should I accept this in favor from your hand? saith the Lord.
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.
14 But cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth a corrupt thing unto the Lord; for I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.
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!
