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

Advertencia a los sacerdotes

»Escuchen, ustedes sacerdotes, ¡este mandato es para ustedes! Escúchenme y decidan honrar mi nombre—dice el Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales—, o enviaré una maldición terrible contra ustedes. Maldeciré hasta las bendiciones que reciban. En realidad ya las he maldecido, porque ustedes no han tomado a pecho mi advertencia. Castigaré a sus descendientes y a ustedes les salpicaré la cara con el estiércol de los animales que sacrifican en sus festivales y luego los arrojaré sobre el montón de estiércol. Entonces por fin sabrán que fui yo quien les envió esta advertencia, para que mi pacto con los levitas continúe», dice el Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales.

«El propósito de mi pacto con los levitas era darles vida y paz y eso fue lo que les di. De ellos se requería que me reverenciaran, y lo hicieron en gran manera y temieron mi nombre. Comunicaron al pueblo la verdad de las instrucciones que recibieron de mí. No mintieron ni estafaron; anduvieron conmigo y llevaron vidas buenas y justas e hicieron volver a muchas personas de sus vidas pecaminosas.

»Las palabras que salen de la boca de un sacerdote deberían conservar el conocimiento de Dios y la gente debería acudir a él para recibir instrucción, porque el sacerdote es el mensajero del Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales. No obstante, ustedes, sacerdotes, han abandonado los caminos de Dios. Sus instrucciones hicieron que muchos cayeran en pecado. Corrompieron el pacto que hice con los levitas—dice el Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales—. Por lo tanto, yo los he vuelto despreciables y los he humillado ante los ojos de todo el pueblo. Pues no me obedecieron, sino que mostraron favoritismo en su forma de llevar a la práctica mis instrucciones».

Un llamado a la fidelidad

10 ¿No somos hijos del mismo Padre? ¿No fuimos creados por el mismo Dios? Entonces, ¿por qué nos traicionamos unos a otros, violando el pacto de nuestros antepasados?

11 Judá ha sido infiel y se ha hecho una cosa detestable en Israel y en Jerusalén. Los hombres de Judá han contaminado el amado santuario del Señor, al casarse con mujeres que rinden culto a ídolos. 12 Que el Señor arranque de la nación de Israel[a] hasta el último de los hombres que haya hecho esto y que aun así lleva una ofrenda al Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales.

13 Esta es otra cosa que hacen: cubren el altar del Señor con lágrimas; lloran y gimen porque él no presta atención a sus ofrendas ni las acepta con agrado. 14 Claman: «¿Por qué el Señor no acepta mi adoración?». ¡Les diré por qué! Porque el Señor fue testigo de los votos que tú y tu esposa hicieron cuando eran jóvenes. Pero tú le has sido infiel, aunque ella siguió siendo tu compañera fiel, la esposa con la que hiciste tus votos matrimoniales.

15 ¿No te hizo uno el Señor con tu esposa? En cuerpo y espíritu ustedes son de él.[b] ¿Y qué es lo que él quiere? De esa unión quiere hijos que vivan para Dios. Por eso, guarda tu corazón y permanece fiel a la esposa de tu juventud. 16 «¡Pues yo odio el divorcio![c]—dice el Señor, Dios de Israel—. Divorciarte de tu esposa es abrumarla de crueldad[d]—dice el Señor de los Ejércitos Celestiales—. Por eso guarda tu corazón; y no le seas infiel a tu esposa».

17 Ustedes han cansado al Señor con sus palabras.

«¿Cómo lo hemos cansado?», preguntan.

Lo cansaron diciendo que todos los que hacen el mal son buenos a los ojos del Señor y que él se agrada de ellos. Lo han fatigado al preguntar: «¿Dónde está el Dios de justicia?».

Footnotes

  1. 2:12 En hebreo de las carpas de Jacob. Los nombres «Jacob» e «Israel» a menudo son intercambiables en el Antiguo Testamento. Algunas veces hacen referencia al patriarca como individuo y otras veces a la nación.
  2. 2:15 O ¿No nos hizo el único Señor y preservó nuestra vida y aliento? o ¿No la hizo el único Señor a ella, carne y espíritu? El significado del hebreo es incierto.
  3. 2:16a En hebreo Pues él odia divorciar.
  4. 2:16b En hebreo es cubrirse la vestidura con violencia.

Ang Silot sa Indi Matinumanon nga mga Pari

1-2 Nagpadayon sa pagsiling ang Ginoo nga Makagagahom sa mga pari, “Amo ini ang akon paandam sa inyo: Kon indi kamo magpamati sa akon, kag indi ninyo paghatagan sang importansya ang pagpadungog sa akon, pakamalauton ko kamo pati ang mga pagpakamaayo nga ginabaton ninyo bilang mga pari.[a] Sa pagkamatuod, ginhimo ko na ini kay wala ninyo paghatagan sang importansya ang pagpadungog sa akon.

“Pamati kamo! Tungod sa inyo pagasilutan ko ang inyo mga kaliwat. Kag laptahon ko sa inyo mga guya ang ipot sang mga sapat nga inyo ginhalad, kag ihaboy man kamo sa halabuyan sang ipot.[b] Dapat mahibaluan ninyo nga ginapaandaman ko kamo sini agod makapadayon ang akon kasugtanan sa inyo katigulangan nga si Levi. Sa akon kasugtanan kay Levi, ginpromisahan ko siya sang kabuhi[c] kag kalinong, basta tahuron niya ako. Kag gintahod niya gani ako. Gintudlo niya ang kamatuoran kag indi ang kabutigan. Maayo ang iya relasyon sa akon kag nagkabuhi siya nga matarong. Kag madamo nga mga tawo ang iya ginbuligan nga indi na magpakasala.

“Sa pagkamatuod, katungdanan ninyo nga mga pari ang pagtudlo sa mga tawo nga mahibaluan nila ang parte sa akon. Kag dapat magpatudlo sila sa inyo kay kamo ang akon mga mensahero. Pero wala ninyo pagsunda ang akon pamaagi. Ang inyo pagpanudlo nagtulod sa madamo nga mga tawo sa pagpakasala. Ako, ang Ginoo nga Makagagahom, nagasiling nga ginlapas ninyo ang akon kasugtanan sa inyo katigulangan nga si Levi. Gani gintugutan ko nga tamayon kamo kag pakahuy-an sang tanan nga tawo tungod kay wala ninyo pagsunda ang akon mga pamaagi, kag may ginapaboran pa kamo sa inyo pagpanudlo.”

Indi Matutom ang mga Israelinhon

10 Nagsiling si Malakias sa mga Israelinhon, “Indi bala nga tanan kita may isa lang ka amay?[d] Kag indi bala nga isa lang ka Dios ang nagtuga sa aton? Ti ngaa nagaluib kita sa isa kag isa? Sa sinang ginahimo naton, ginabaliwala naton ang kasugtanan sang Dios sa aton mga katigulangan.

11 “Nagluib ang mga taga-Juda; naghimo sila sang makangilil-ad nga butang sa Jerusalem kag sa bug-os nga nasyon sang Israel. Kay ginhigkuan nila ang templo[e] nga ginahigugma sang Ginoo paagi sa pagpangasawa sang mga babayi nga nagasimba sa iban nga mga dios. 12 Kabay pa nga ang tawo nga nagahimo sini indi na pagkabigon nga sakop sang katawhan sang Israel, pati ang iya mga anak kag mga apo,[f] bisan maghalad pa siya sa Ginoo nga Makagagahom.

13 “Amo pa gid ini ang inyo ginhimo: Nagasagi kamo hibi sing mabaskog sa halaran sang Ginoo kay wala na niya ginasapak ukon ginakalipay ang inyo mga halad. 14 Nagapamangkot kamo kon ngaa wala na niya ginasapak ang inyo mga halad. Ina tungod kay saksi ang Ginoo nga nagluib kamo sa inyo asawa nga inyo ginpakaslan sang bataon pa kamo. Ginlapas ninyo ang inyo kasugtanan sa inyo asawa nga magmatutom kamo sa ila. 15 Indi bala nga gin-isa na kamo sang Ginoo sa lawas kag sa espiritu agod mangin iya kamo?[g] Kag ngaa nga gin-isa niya kamo? Kay gusto niya nga makapamata kamo sang mga kabataan nga diosnon. Gani siguraduhon ninyo nga indi ninyo pagluiban ang inyo asawa nga inyo ginpakaslan sang bataon pa kamo. 16 Kay nagasiling ang Ginoo, ang Dios sang Israel, ‘Indi ko gusto nga magbulagay ang mag-asawa. Kon bulagan sang bana ang iya asawa, ginapintasan niya siya.’

“Gani siguraduhon ninyo nga indi ninyo pagluiban ang inyo asawa.”

Ang Adlaw nga Magasilot ang Dios

17 Nagsiling pa gid si Malakias sa mga Israelinhon, “Ginapatak-an ninyo ang Ginoo sa inyo mga ginahambal. Pero nagapamangkot pa kamo, ‘Ngaa, ano ang amon ginahambal nga natak-an siya?’ Nagahambal kamo nga ang tanan nga nagahimo sang malain maayo sa panulok sang Ginoo kag nalipay siya sa ila. Nagayaguta pa kamo nga nagasiling, ‘Diin na ang Dios sang katarungan?’ ”

Footnotes

  1. 2:1-2 pakamalauton… pari: ukon, pakamalauton ko kamo kag himuon ko nga pagpakamalaot ang bendisyon nga ginahatag ninyo sa mga tawo.
  2. 2:3 ihaboy… ipot: Indi klaro ang buot silingon sang Hebreo sini.
  3. 2:5 kabuhi: siguro ang buot silingon, maayo ukon/kag malawig nga kabuhi.
  4. 2:10 amay: Siguro ang buot silingon si Abraham. Posible man nga “Amay,” nga ang buot silingon, ang Dios.
  5. 2:11 templo: ukon, pinili nga katawhan.
  6. 2:12 mga anak kag mga apo: Amo ini sa Syriac kag sa Targum, pero sa Hebreo indi klaro.
  7. 2:15 Indi bala… iya kamo?: ukon, Wala sing tawo nga magahimo sina kon ginatuytuyan siya sang Espiritu bisan gamay lang. Indi klaro ang buot silingon sang Hebreo sini.

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,”