The Priests' Polluted Offerings

^6 (A)“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am ^(B)a father, where is my honor? And if I am ^(C)a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. ^(D)But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ ^7 (E)By offering polluted food upon my altar. ^(F)But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that ^(G)the Lord's table may be despised. ^8 (H)When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. ⁹ And now ^(I)entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, ^(J)will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. ^10 (K)Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, ^(L)and I will not accept an offering from your hand. ¹¹ For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name ^(M)will be^[a] great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name ^(N)will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² But you profane it when you say that ^(O)the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. ¹³ But you say, ^(P)‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. ^(Q)You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. ¹⁴ Cursed be the cheat who has ^(R)a male in his flock, and ^(S)vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For ^(T)I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name ^(U)will be feared among the nations.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

2 “And now, ^(V)O priests, ^(W)this command is for you. ^2 (X)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send ^(Y)the curse upon you and I will curse ^(Z)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. ³ Behold, ^(AA)I will rebuke your offspring,^[b] and ^(AB)spread dung on your faces, the ^(AC)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.^{[c] 4} So shall you know that I have sent ^(AD)this command to you, that ^(AE)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. ⁵ My covenant with him was one of life and ^(AF)peace, and I gave them to him. ^(AG)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. ^6 (AH)True instruction^[d] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he ^(AI)turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For ^(AJ)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people^[e] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. ⁸ But you have turned aside from the way. ^(AK)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted ^(AL)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, ⁹ and so ^(AM)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but ^(AN)show partiality in your instruction.”

Robbing God

⁶ “For ^(A)I the Lord do not change; ^(B)therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. ^7 (C)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. ^(D)Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ^(E)But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ ⁸ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. ^(F)But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ ^(G)In your tithes and contributions. ^9 (H)You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. ^10 (I)Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby ^(J)put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open ^(K)the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. ¹¹ I will rebuke ^(L)the devourer^[a] for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² Then ^(M)all nations will call you blessed, for you will be ^(N)a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

^13 (O)“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. ^(P)But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’