Priests to Be Disciplined

“And now this commandment is for you, O priests. If you do (A)not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the (B)curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have (C)cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. Behold, I am going to (D)rebuke your [a]offspring, and I will (E)spread [b]refuse on your faces, the [c]refuse of your (F)feasts; and you will be taken away [d]with it. Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [e]that My (G)covenant may [f]continue with Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. “My covenant with him was one of life and (H)peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [g]reverence; so he [h](I)revered Me and stood in awe of My name. [i](J)True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked (K)with Me in peace and uprightness, and he (L)turned many back from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should preserve (M)knowledge, and [j]men should (N)seek [k]instruction from his mouth; for he is the (O)messenger of the Lord of hosts. But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to (P)stumble [l]by the instruction; you have [m](Q)corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. “So (R)I also have made you despised and (S)abased [n]before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing (T)partiality in the [o]instruction.

Sin in the Family

10 “Do we not all have (U)one father? (V)Has not one God created us? Why do we deal (W)treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the (X)covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt (Y)treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has (Z)profaned the sanctuary of the Lord [p]which He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, may the (AA)Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers, or who (AB)presents [q]an offering to the Lord of hosts.

13 “This is [r]another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He (AC)no longer regards the [s]offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the (AD)wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt (AE)treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 [t]But not one has (AF)done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And [u]what did that one do while he was seeking a (AG)godly [v]offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal (AH)treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 For [w]I hate [x](AI)divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and [y]him who covers his garment with [z](AJ)wrong,” says the Lord of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”

17 You have (AK)wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “(AL)Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He (AM)delights in them,” or, “(AN)Where is the God of (AO)justice?”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:3 Lit seed
  2. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
  3. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
  4. Malachi 2:3 Lit to
  5. Malachi 2:4 Or to be My covenant with
  6. Malachi 2:4 Lit be
  7. Malachi 2:5 Or fear
  8. Malachi 2:5 Or feared
  9. Malachi 2:6 Or Law of truth
  10. Malachi 2:7 Lit they
  11. Malachi 2:7 Or law
  12. Malachi 2:8 Or in the law
  13. Malachi 2:8 Or violated
  14. Malachi 2:9 Lit to
  15. Malachi 2:9 Or law
  16. Malachi 2:11 Or in that He has loved and married
  17. Malachi 2:12 Or a grain offering
  18. Malachi 2:13 Lit second
  19. Malachi 2:13 Or grain offering
  20. Malachi 2:15 Or Did He not make one, although He had the remnant
  21. Malachi 2:15 Or why one? He sought a godly offspring
  22. Malachi 2:15 Lit seed
  23. Malachi 2:16 Lit He hates
  24. Malachi 2:16 Lit sending away
  25. Malachi 2:16 Lit he covers
  26. Malachi 2:16 Or violence

Additional Warning to the Priests

“And now, you priests, this warning is for you.(A) If you do not listen,(B) and if you do not resolve to honor(C) my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse(D) on you, and I will curse your blessings.(E) Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

“Because of you I will rebuke your descendants[a]; I will smear on your faces the dung(F) from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.(G) And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi(H) may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. “My covenant was with him, a covenant(I) of life and peace,(J) and I gave them to him; this called for reverence(K) and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction(L) was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked(M) with me in peace(N) and uprightness,(O) and turned many from sin.(P)

“For the lips of a priest(Q) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger(R) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.(S) But you have turned from the way(T) and by your teaching have caused many to stumble;(U) you have violated the covenant(V) with Levi,”(W) says the Lord Almighty. “So I have caused you to be despised(X) and humiliated(Y) before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality(Z) in matters of the law.”(AA)

Breaking Covenant Through Divorce

10 Do we not all have one Father[b]?(AB) Did not one God create us?(AC) Why do we profane the covenant(AD) of our ancestors by being unfaithful(AE) to one another?

11 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable(AF) thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves(AG) by marrying(AH) women who worship a foreign god.(AI) 12 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove(AJ) him from the tents of Jacob[c](AK)—even though he brings an offering(AL) to the Lord Almighty.

13 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears.(AM) You weep and wail(AN) because he no longer looks with favor(AO) on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.(AP) 14 You ask,(AQ) “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness(AR) between you and the wife of your youth.(AS) You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.(AT)

15 Has not the one God made you?(AU) You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.[d](AV) So be on your guard,(AW) and do not be unfaithful(AX) to the wife of your youth.

16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,(AY)” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”[e](AZ) says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard,(BA) and do not be unfaithful.

Breaking Covenant Through Injustice

17 You have wearied(BB) the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.(BC)

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased(BD) with them” or “Where is the God of justice?(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:3 Or will blight your grain
  2. Malachi 2:10 Or father
  3. Malachi 2:12 Or 12 May the Lord remove from the tents of Jacob anyone who gives testimony in behalf of the man who does this
  4. Malachi 2:15 The meaning of the Hebrew for the first part of this verse is uncertain.
  5. Malachi 2:16 Or “I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,”

Praise the Lord from the earth,
(A)Sea monsters and all (B)deeps;
(C)Fire and hail, (D)snow and (E)clouds;
(F)Stormy wind, (G)fulfilling His word;
(H)Mountains and all hills;
Fruit (I)trees and all cedars;
10 (J)Beasts and all cattle;
(K)Creeping things and winged fowl;
11 (L)Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His (M)name alone is exalted;
His (N)glory is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has (O)lifted up a horn for His people,
(P)Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people (Q)near to Him.
[a]Praise [b]the Lord!

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:14 Or Hallelujah!
  2. Psalm 148:14 Heb Yah

Praise the Lord(A) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures(B) and all ocean depths,(C)
lightning and hail,(D) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,(E)
you mountains and all hills,(F)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(G) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(H) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(I)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor(J) is above the earth and the heavens.(K)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[a](L)
    the praise(M) of all his faithful servants,(N)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.(O)

Praise the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Satan Bound

20 Then I saw (A)an angel coming down from heaven, holding the (B)key of the abyss and a great chain [a]in his hand. And he laid hold of the (C)dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and (D)bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the (E)abyss, and shut it and (F)sealed it over him, so that he would (G)not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

Then I saw (H)thrones, and (I)they sat on them, and (J)judgment was given to them. And I saw (K)the souls of those who had been beheaded because of [b]their (L)testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not (M)worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the (N)mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they (O)came to life and (P)reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. (Q)This is the first resurrection. (R)Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the (S)second death has no power, but they will be (T)priests of God and of Christ and will (U)reign with Him for a thousand years.

Satan Freed, Doomed

When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be (V)released from his prison, and will come out to (W)deceive the nations which are in the (X)four corners of the earth, (Y)Gog and Magog, to (Z)gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the (AA)sand of the [c]seashore. And they (AB)came up on the [d]broad plain of the earth and surrounded the (AC)camp of the [e]saints and the (AD)beloved city, and (AE)fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And (AF)the devil who (AG)deceived them was thrown into the (AH)lake of fire and [f]brimstone, where the (AI)beast and the (AJ)false prophet are also; and they will be (AK)tormented day and night forever and ever.

Judgment at the Throne of God

11 Then I saw a great white (AL)throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose [g]presence (AM)earth and heaven fled away, and (AN)no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the (AO)great and the small, standing before the throne, and [h](AP)books were opened; and another [i]book was opened, which is (AQ)the book of life; and the dead (AR)were judged from the things which were written in the [j]books, (AS)according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and (AT)death and Hades (AU)gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them (AV)according to their deeds. 14 Then (AW)death and Hades were thrown into (AX)the lake of fire. This is the (AY)second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if [k]anyone’s name was not found written in (AZ)the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:1 Lit upon
  2. Revelation 20:4 Lit the
  3. Revelation 20:8 Lit sea
  4. Revelation 20:9 Lit breadth of the earth
  5. Revelation 20:9 Or holy ones
  6. Revelation 20:10 I.e. burning sulphur
  7. Revelation 20:11 Lit face
  8. Revelation 20:12 Or scrolls
  9. Revelation 20:12 Or scroll
  10. Revelation 20:12 Or scrolls
  11. Revelation 20:15 Lit anyone was

The Thousand Years

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven,(A) having the key(B) to the Abyss(C) and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan,(D) and bound him for a thousand years.(E) He threw him into the Abyss,(F) and locked and sealed(G) it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations(H) anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

I saw thrones(I) on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.(J) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded(K) because of their testimony about Jesus(L) and because of the word of God.(M) They[a] had not worshiped the beast(N) or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.(O) They came to life and reigned(P) with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.(Q) Blessed(R) and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death(S) has no power over them, but they will be priests(T) of God and of Christ and will reign with him(U) for a thousand years.

The Judgment of Satan

When the thousand years are over,(V) Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations(W) in the four corners of the earth(X)—Gog and Magog(Y)—and to gather them for battle.(Z) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.(AA) They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded(AB) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.(AC) But fire came down from heaven(AD) and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them,(AE) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,(AF) where the beast(AG) and the false prophet(AH) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.(AI)

The Judgment of the Dead

11 Then I saw a great white throne(AJ) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,(AK) and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small,(AL) standing before the throne, and books were opened.(AM) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.(AN) The dead were judged(AO) according to what they had done(AP) as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades(AQ) gave up the dead(AR) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.(AS) 14 Then death(AT) and Hades(AU) were thrown into the lake of fire.(AV) The lake of fire is the second death.(AW) 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life(AX) was thrown into the lake of fire.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:4 Or God; I also saw those who