The Lord Rebukes the Priests

“And now, (A)O priests, (B)this command is for you. (C)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 (D)the curse upon you and I will curse (E)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, (F)I will rebuke your offspring,[a] and (G)spread dung on your faces, the (H)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.[b] So shall you know that I have sent (I)this command to you, that (J)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and (K)peace, and I gave them to him. (L)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. (M)True instruction[c] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he (N)turned many from iniquity. For (O)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people[d] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. (P)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted (Q)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so (R)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but (S)show partiality in your instruction.”

Judah Profaned the Covenant

10 Have we not all (T)one Father? Has not (U)one God created us? Why then are we (V)faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been (W)faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For (X)Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant[e] of the man who does this, who (Y)brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. (Z)You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 (AA)But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord (AB)was witness between you and the wife of your youth, (AC)to whom (AD)you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 (AE)Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[f] And what was the one God[g] seeking?[h] (AF)Godly offspring. So guard yourselves[i] in your spirit, and let none of you be (AG)faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For (AH)the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[j] says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers[k] his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and (AI)do not be faithless.”

The Messenger of the Lord

17 (AJ)You have wearied the Lord with your words. (AK)But you say, “How have we wearied him?” (AL)By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, (AM)“Where is the God of justice?”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:3 Hebrew seed
  2. Malachi 2:3 Or to it
  3. Malachi 2:6 Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
  4. Malachi 2:7 Hebrew they
  5. Malachi 2:12 Hebrew any who wakes and answers
  6. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew in it
  7. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew the one
  8. Malachi 2:15 Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
  9. Malachi 2:15 Or So take care; also verse 16
  10. Malachi 2:16 Hebrew who hates and divorces
  11. Malachi 2:16 Probable meaning (compare Septuagint and Deuteronomy 24:1–4); or “The Lord, the God of Israel, says that he hates divorce, and him who covers

Corrupt Priests

“And now, O (A)priests, this commandment is for you.
(B)If you will not hear,
And if you will not take it to heart,
To give glory to My name,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“I will send a curse upon you,
And I will curse your blessings.
Yes, I have cursed them (C)already,
Because you do not take it to heart.

“Behold, I will rebuke your descendants
And spread (D)refuse on your faces,
The refuse of your solemn feasts;
And one will (E)take you away [a]with it.
Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you,
That My covenant with Levi may continue,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“My(F) covenant was with him, one of life and peace,
And I gave them to him (G)that he might fear Me;
So he feared Me
And was reverent before My name.
(H)The[b] law of truth was in his mouth,
And [c]injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity,
And (I)turned many away from iniquity.

“For(J) the lips of a priest should keep knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his mouth;
(K)For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
But you have departed from the way;
You (L)have caused many to stumble at the law.
(M)You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore (N)I also have made you contemptible and base
Before all the people,
Because you have not kept My ways
But have shown (O)partiality in the law.”

Treachery of Infidelity

10 (P)Have we not all one Father?
(Q)Has not one God created us?
Why do we deal treacherously with one another
By profaning the covenant of the fathers?
11 Judah has dealt treacherously,
And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem,
For Judah has (R)profaned
The Lord’s holy institution which He loves:
He has married the daughter of a foreign god.
12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob
The man who does this, being [d]awake and aware,
Yet (S)who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this is the second thing you do:
You cover the altar of the Lord with tears,
With weeping and crying;
So He does not regard the offering anymore,
Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.
14 Yet you say, “For what reason?”
Because the Lord has been witness
Between you and (T)the wife of your youth,
With whom you have dealt treacherously;
(U)Yet she is your companion
And your wife by covenant.
15 But (V)did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks (W)godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

16 “For (X)the Lord God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”

17 (Y)You have wearied the Lord with your words;
Yet you say,
“In what way have we wearied Him?
In that you say,
(Z)“Everyone who does evil
Is good in the sight of the Lord,
And He delights in them,”
Or, “Where is the God of justice?”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:3 Lit. to it
  2. Malachi 2:6 Or True instruction
  3. Malachi 2:6 Or unrighteousness
  4. Malachi 2:12 Talmud, Vg. teacher and student

Ang Parusa sa mga Paring Suwail

1-2 Sinabi pa ng Panginoong Makapangyarihan sa mga pari, “Ito ang aking babala sa inyo: Kung hindi ninyo pakikinggan ang sinasabi ko at hindi ninyo pahahalagahan ang pagpaparangal sa akin, susumpain ko kayo, pati na ang mga pagpapalang tinatanggap ninyo bilang mga pari.[a] Sa katunayan, ginawa ko na iyan dahil hindi ninyo pinahahalagahan ang pagpaparangal sa akin.

“Makinig kayo! Dahil sa inyo, parurusahan ko ang inyong mga lahi. Isasaboy ko sa inyong mukha ang dumi ng mga hayop na inyong inihahandog at itatapon din kayo sa tapunan ng mga dumi. Dapat ninyong malaman na binabalaan ko kayo upang magpatuloy ang aking kasunduan sa inyong ninunong si Levi. Sa aking kasunduan kay Levi, ipinangako ko sa kanya ang buhay[b] at kapayapaan, basta igalang lamang niya ako. At iyan nga ang kanyang ginawa. Itinuro niya ang katotohanan at hindi ang kasinungalingan. Maayos ang kanyang relasyon sa akin at namuhay siya nang matuwid. At tinulungan niya ang maraming tao upang huwag nang gumawa ng kasalanan.

“Sa katunayan, tungkulin ninyong mga pari na turuan ang mga tao, na malaman nila ang tungkol sa akin. At dapat naman silang magpaturo sa inyo, dahil mga sugo ko kayo. Pero hindi ninyo sinunod ang aking mga pamamaraan. Ang mga turo ninyo ang nagtulak sa marami para magkasala. Ako, ang Panginoong Makapangyarihan, ang nagsasabing, sinira nʼyo ang kasunduan ko sa ninuno ninyong si Levi. Kaya ipinahamak at ipinahiya ko kayo sa lahat ng tao dahil hindi ninyo sinunod ang aking mga pamamaraan, at may kinikilingan kayo sa inyong pagtuturo.”

Hindi Naging Tapat ang mga Israelita

10 Sinabi ni Malakias sa mga Israelita: Hindi baʼt iisa ang ating ama?[c] At iisang Dios ang lumalang sa atin? Bakit hindi tayo nagiging tapat sa isaʼt isa? Sa ginagawa nating ito, binabalewala natin ang kasunduan ng Dios sa ating mga ninuno.

11 Naging taksil ang mga taga-Juda. Gumawa sila ng kasuklam-suklam sa Jerusalem at sa buong bansa ng Israel. Sapagkat dinungisan nila ang templo[d] na mahal ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakasal sa mga babaeng sumasamba sa ibang mga dios. 12 Huwag na sanang ituring na kabilang sa mga mamamayan ng Israel ang mga taong gumagawa nito, pati na ang mga anak nila at mga apo,[e] kahit na maghandog pa sila sa Panginoong Makapangyarihan.

13 Ito pa ang inyong ginagawa: Iyak kayo nang iyak sa altar ng Panginoon dahil hindi na niya pinapansin ang inyong mga handog at hindi na siya nalulugod sa mga iyon. 14 Itinatanong ninyo kung bakit? Sapagkat saksi ang Panginoon na nagtaksil kayo sa asawa na inyong pinakasalan noong inyong kabataan. Sinira ninyo ang inyong kasunduan na magiging tapat kayo sa isaʼt isa. 15 Hindi baʼt pinag-isa kayo ng Dios sa katawan at sa espiritu para maging kanya?[f] At bakit niya kayo pinag-isa? Sapagkat gusto niyang magkaroon kayo ng mga anak na makadios. Kaya siguraduhin ninyong hindi kayo magtataksil sa babaeng pinakasalan ninyo noong inyong kabataan. 16 Sapagkat sinabi ng Panginoon, ang Dios ng Israel, “Ayaw kong maghiwalay ang mag-asawa. Kung hiwalayan ng lalaki ang kanyang asawa, itoʼy pagmamalupit sa asawang babae.”

Kaya siguraduhin ninyong hindi kayo magtataksil sa inyong asawa.

Ang Araw ng Paghatol ng Panginoon

17 Sawang-sawa na ang Panginoon sa inyong mga sinasabi. Pero itinatanong pa ninyo, “Ano ang ikinasasawa niya sa amin?” Sinasabi ninyo na mabuti sa paningin ng Dios ang lahat ng gumagawa ng masama at natutuwa siya sa kanila. Pakutya ninyong sinasabi, “Nasaan na ang Dios ng katarungan?”

Footnotes

  1. 2:1-2 susumpain … pari: o, susumpain ko kayo at gagawin kong sumpa ang mga pagpapalang inyong iginagawad sa mga tao.
  2. 2:5 buhay: Maaaring ang ibig sabihin ay mabuti o/at mahabang buhay.
  3. 2:10 ama: Maaaring ang tinutukoy ay si Abraham o ang Dios.
  4. 2:11 templo: o, piniling mga mamamayan.
  5. 2:12 mga anak nila at mga apo: Ito ang nasa Syriac at sa Targum, pero sa Hebreo ay hindi malinaw.
  6. 2:15 Hindi … kanya: o, Walang taong gagawa ng ganyan kung pinangungunahan siya ng Espiritu kahit papaano.

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,”