Malachi 2

1 "Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.

And now, O priests, this commandment is to you.

2 If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name," says Jehovah of hosts, "then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.

If you will not listen, and if you will not lay [it] to heart, to give glory to my name, says the Lord Almighty, then I will send forth the curse upon you, and I will bring a curse upon your blessing: yes, I will curse it, and I will scatter your blessing, and it shall not exist amongst you, because you lay not this to heart.

3 Look, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.

Behold, I turn my back upon you, and I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts, and I will carry you away at the same time.

4 You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says Jehovah of hosts.

And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with the sons of Levi, says the Lord Almighty.

5 "My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.

My covenant of life and peace was with him, and I gave [it] him that he might reverently fear me, and that he might be awe-struck at my name.

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.

The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked before me directing [his way] in peace, and he turned many from unrighteousness.

7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.

For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.

8 But you have turned aside out of the way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says Jehovah of hosts.

But you have turned aside from the way, and caused many to fail in [following] the law: you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord Almighty.

9 "Therefore I have also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law.

And I have made you despised and cast out amongst all the people, because you have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

10 Do we not all have one father? Hasn't one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Have you not all one father? Did not one God create you? why have you forsaken every man his brother, to profane the covenant of your fathers?

11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

Juda has been forsaken, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Juda has profaned the holy things of the Lord, which he delighted in, and has gone after other gods.

12 Jehovah will cut off, to the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to Jehovah of hosts.

The Lord will utterly destroy the man that does these things, until he be even cast down from out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and from amongst them that offer sacrifice to the Lord Almighty.

13 This again you do: you cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn't regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand.

And these things which I hated, you did: you covered with tears the altar of the Lord, and with weeping and groaning because of troubles: [is it] meet [for me] to have respect to your sacrifice, or to receive [anything] from your hands [as] welcome?

14 Yet you say, 'Why?' Because Jehovah has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant.

Yet you said, Therefore? Because the Lord has borne witness between you and the wife of your youth, whom you has forsaken, and [yet] she was your partner, and the wife of your covenant.

15 Did he not make one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

And did he not do well? and [there was] the residue of his spirit. But you said, What does God seek but a seed? But take you heed to your spirit, and forsake not the wife of your youth.

16 For I hate divorce," says Jehovah, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with violence." says Jehovah of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.

But if you should hate [your wife] and put her away, says the Lord God of Israel, then ungodliness shall cover your thoughts, says the Lord Almighty: therefore take you heed to your spirit, and forsake [them] not,

17 You have wearied Jehovah with your words. Yet you say, 'How have we wearied him?' In that you say, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and he delights in them;' or 'Where is the God of justice?'

you that have provoked God with your words. But you said, Wherein have we provoked him? In that you say, Every one that does evil is a pleasing [object] in the sight of the Lord, and he takes pleasure in such; and where is the God of justice?