Malachi 1
New Living Translation
1 This is the message[a] that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi.[b]
The Lord’s Love for Israel
2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord.
But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”
And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.”
4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.”
But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’”
Unworthy Sacrifices
6 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!
“But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
7 “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
“Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?[c]’
“You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. 8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 11 But my name is honored[d] by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer[e] sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
12 “But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. 13 You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord.
14 “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!
Malachi 1
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh’s Love for Jacob
1 The [a](A)oracle of the word of [b]Yahweh to (B)Israel by the hand of [c]Malachi.
2 “I have (C)loved you,” says Yahweh. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares Yahweh. “Yet I (D)have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have (E)set his mountains to be a desolation and his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Though Edom says, “We have been (F)demolished, but we will [d](G)return and build up the waste places”; thus says Yahweh of hosts, “They may (H)build, but I will pull down; and men will call them a [e]territory of wickedness, and the people [f]toward whom Yahweh is indignant (I)forever.” 5 And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “(J)Yahweh [g]be magnified beyond the [h]territory of Israel!”
The Priests Defile Yahweh
6 “‘A son (K)honors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a (L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?’ says Yahweh of hosts to you, O (M)priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting (N)defiled [i](O)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (P)table of Yahweh is to be despised.’ 8 But when you present the (Q)blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Please, bring it near to your (R)governor! Would he accept you? Or would he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts. 9 “But now, [j](S)entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us! With this thing which is from your hand, will He (T)lift up any of your faces?” says Yahweh of hosts. 10 “Oh that there were one among you who would (U)shut the [k]gates, that you might not light a fire on My altar in vain! I have no delight in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “(V)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the (W)rising of the sun even to its setting, (X)My name will be (Y)great among the nations, and in every place (Z)incense is going to be presented to My name, as well as a grain offering that is clean; for My name will be (AA)great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts. 12 “But you are (AB)profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘Behold, how (AC)tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by (AD)robbery and what is (AE)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (AF)accept that from your hand?” says Yahweh. 14 “But cursed be the (AG)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a [l](AH)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (AI)King,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and My name is [m](AJ)feared among the [n]nations.”
Footnotes
- Malachi 1:1 Or burden
- Malachi 1:1 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
- Malachi 1:1 Lit My messenger
- Malachi 1:4 Or rebuild the ruins
- Malachi 1:4 Lit border of wickedness
- Malachi 1:4 Or whom Yahweh has cursed
- Malachi 1:5 Or will be great
- Malachi 1:5 Or border
- Malachi 1:7 Lit bread
- Malachi 1:9 Lit soften the face of
- Malachi 1:10 Or doors
- Malachi 1:14 Or ruined
- Malachi 1:14 Or reverenced
- Malachi 1:14 Or Gentiles
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