13 And this second thing you do. (A)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 (B)But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord (C)was witness between you and the wife of your youth, (D)to whom (E)you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 (F)Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[a] And what was the one God[b] seeking?[c] (G)Godly offspring. So guard yourselves[d] in your spirit, and let none of you be (H)faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For (I)the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[e] says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers[f] his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and (J)do not be faithless.”

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew in it
  2. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew the one
  3. Malachi 2:15 Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
  4. Malachi 2:15 Or So take care; also verse 16
  5. Malachi 2:16 Hebrew who hates and divorces
  6. 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

13 You should do this as well:
        cover the altar of the Lord with tears, weeping, and groaning
            because there is still no divine favor for your offering or favorable regard
            for anything from your hand.
14 But you say, “Why?”
    Because the Lord testifies about you
            and the wife of your youth against whom you cheated.
    She is your partner,
            the wife of your covenant.
15 Didn’t he make her[a] the one[b]
    and the remnant of his spirit?[c]
    What is the one?
        The one seeking godly offspring.
You should guard your own spirit.
    Don’t cheat on the wife of your youth
16         because he hates divorce,
says the Lord God of Israel,
            and he also hates the one covering his garment with violence,[d]
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
        Guard your own life, and don’t cheat.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:15 Heb lacks her.
  2. Malachi 2:15 Heb uncertain; her refers to the wife in Mal 2:14.
  3. Malachi 2:15 Heb uncertain
  4. Malachi 2:16 Heb uncertain