Malachi 1:6-14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Disobedience of the Priests
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?(A) says Yahweh of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name.”
Yet you ask: “How have we despised Your name?”
7 “By presenting defiled food on My altar.”
You ask: “How have we defiled You?”(B)
When you say: “The Lord’s table is contemptible.”(C)
8 “When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong?(D) Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Hosts. 9 “And now ask for God’s favor. Will He be gracious to us?(E) Since this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor?”(F) asks the Lord of Hosts. 10 “I wish one of you would shut the temple doors,(G) so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar!(H) I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and I will accept(I) no offering from your hands.(J)
11 “For My name will be great among the nations,(K) from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense[a] and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,”[b] says Yahweh of Hosts.
12 But you are profaning it(L) when you say: “The Lord’s table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible.” 13 You also say: “Look, what a nuisance!” “And you scorn[c] it,”[d](M) says the Lord of Hosts. “You bring stolen,[e](N) lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.
14 “The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord.(O) For I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and My name[f] will be feared among the nations.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Malachi 1:11 Or Burnt offerings
- Malachi 1:11 Or is great . . . are presented . . . is great
- Malachi 1:13 Lit blow at
- Malachi 1:13 Ancient Jewish tradition reads Me
- Malachi 1:13 Or injured
- Malachi 1:14 Or Because I am . . . Yahweh of Hosts, My name
Malachi 1:6-14
New Living Translation
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?[a]’
“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[b] by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer[c] 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!
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
