Polluted Offerings to God

The [a]burden of the word of the Lord to Israel [b]by Malachi.

Israel Beloved of God

“I(A) have loved you,” says the Lord.
“Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’
Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?”
Says the Lord.
“Yet (B)Jacob I have loved;
But Esau I have hated,
And (C)laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”

Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”

Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“They may build, but I will (D)throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
Your eyes shall see,
And you shall say,
(E)‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

Polluted Offerings

“A son (F)honors his father,
And a servant his master.
(G)If then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?
And if I am a Master,
Where is My reverence?
Says the Lord of hosts
To you priests who despise My name.
(H)Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

“You offer (I)defiled food on My altar,
But say,
‘In what way have we defiled You?’
By saying,
(J)‘The table of the Lord is [c]contemptible.’
And (K)when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is it not evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?
Offer it then to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you?
Would he (L)accept[d] you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.

“But now entreat God’s favor,
That He may be gracious to us.
(M)While this is being done by your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
10 “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors,
(N)So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?
I have no pleasure in you,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
(O)“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
11 For (P)from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
My name shall be great (Q)among the Gentiles;
(R)In every place (S)incense shall be offered to My name,
And a pure offering;
(T)For My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

12 “But you profane it,
In that you say,
(U)‘The table of the [e]Lord is defiled;
And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
13 You also say,
‘Oh, what a (V)weariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
(W)Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord.
14 “But cursed be (X)the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord (Y)what is blemished—
For (Z)I am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“And My name is to be feared among the nations.

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 1:1 oracle, prophecy
  2. Malachi 1:1 Lit. by the hand of
  3. Malachi 1:7 Or to be despised
  4. Malachi 1:8 Lit. lift up your face
  5. Malachi 1:12 So with Bg.; MT Lord

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People(A)

Coming to Him as to a living stone, (B)rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

(C)“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who [a]are disobedient,

(D)“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”

and

(E)“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

(F)They stumble, being disobedient to the word, (G)to which they also were appointed.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of (H)darkness into His marvelous light; 10 (I)who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:7 NU disbelieve

Our Compassionate High Priest

14 Seeing then that we have a great (A)High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, (B)let us hold fast our confession.

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15 (A)Therefore by Him let us continually offer (B)the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, (C)the fruit of our lips, [a]giving thanks to His name. 16 (D)But do not forget to do good and to share, for (E)with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:15 Lit. confessing

Greeting the Seven Churches

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him (A)who is and (B)who was and who is to come, (C)and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, (D)the faithful (E)witness, the (F)firstborn from the dead, and (G)the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him (H)who [a]loved us (I)and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has (J)made us [b]kings and priests to His God and Father, (K)to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:5 NU loves us and freed; M loves us and washed
  2. Revelation 1:6 NU, M a kingdom

And (A)they sang a new song, saying:

(B)“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And (C)have redeemed us to God (D)by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made [a]us (E)kings[b] and (F)priests to our God;
And [c]we shall reign on the earth.”

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:10 NU, M them
  2. Revelation 5:10 NU a kingdom
  3. Revelation 5:10 NU, M they

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I (A)beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies (B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:1 urge
  2. Romans 12:1 rational

18 Indeed I [a]have all and abound. I am full, having received from (A)Epaphroditus the things sent from you, (B)a sweet-smelling aroma, (C)an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 4:18 Or have received all

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