Malachi 1

1 The declaration of the word of Yahweh to Israel by the hand of Malachi.

An oracle. The message of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

2 “I have loved you,” says Yahweh. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares Yahweh. “Yet I have loved Jacob,

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you shown love to us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” explains the Lord of hosts, “yet I loved Jacob,

3 but Esau I have hated. I have made his mountains an abandoned devastation, and I have made his inheritance a place for the jackals of the wilderness.”

but hated Esau, and made his mountains a desolation, and transformed his ancestral land into a wilderness.

4 If Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins,” Yahweh of hosts will say, “They may rebuild, but I will throw down again. Others will call them 'The country of wickedness' and 'The people whom Yahweh has cursed forever.'

When Edom says, ‘We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruined places’” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will throw down. They will be called, ‘The border land of wickedness,’ the people against whom the Lord is angry forever.

5 Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, 'Yahweh is great beyond the borders of Israel.'”

Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, ‘the Lord’s greatness reaches beyond the border of Israel.’”

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. If I, then, am a father, where is my honor? If I am a master, where is the reverence for me?” says Yahweh of hosts to you priests, who despise my name. “But you say, 'How have we despised your name?'

“A son honors his father and servant their master. If I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the one who fears me? So says the Lord to you, priests who despise my name. You ask, ‘How have we despised your name?’

7 By offering polluted bread upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that Yahweh's table is contemptible.

You offer on my altar bread that is polluted. You ask, ‘How have we polluted it?’ Because you say, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’

8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not evil? When you offer the lame and sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor! Will he accept you or will he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts.

When you offer the blind animal for sacrifice, ‘It doesn’t matter!’ And when you offer the lame and the sick ‘It doesn’t matter!’ Give an animal like that to your governor; will he be pleased with it? Will he receive you favorably?” says the Lord of hosts.

9 Now you keep asking the face of God, that he may be gracious to us. But Yahweh of hosts says that with such an offering in your hand, would he lift up any of your faces?

Now, plead for the favor of God with such an offering, so that he may be gracious to us. “Would I receive any of you favorably?” says the Lord of hosts.

10 “Oh, if only there were one of you who would shut the temple gates, so that you might not light fires on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and I will not accept any offering from your hand.

“If only one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you could not kindle useless fires on my altar! I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations and in every place incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name. For my name will be great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place they offer to my name a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts.

12 “But you are profaning it when you say the Lord's table is polluted, and that its fruit, its food, is to be despised.

“But you profane me when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is polluted, and its food is contemptible.’

13 You also say, 'How tiresome this is,' and you snort at it,” says Yahweh of hosts. “You bring what has been taken by a wild animal or is lame or sick; and this you bring as your offering. Should I accept this from your hand?” says Yahweh.

You say also, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you sniff contemptuously at it. You have brought the blind, the lame and the sick as offerings. Should I accept this from your hand?” says the Lord of hosts.

14 “May the deceiver be cursed who has a male animal in his flock and vows to give it to me, and yet sacrifices to me, the Lord, what is flawed! For I am a great king,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and my name will be honored among the nations.”

“Cursed be the cheat, who has in his flock a valuable male, but vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished animal! For I am a great king,” says the Lord of hosts, “and my name is feared among the nations.”