Malachi 3:6-12

New International Reader's Version

Breaking the Covenant by Stealing From God

⁶ “I am the Lord. I do not change. That is why I have not destroyed you members of Jacob’s family. ⁷ You have turned away from my rules. You have not obeyed them. You have lived that way ever since the days of your people of long ago. Return to me. Then I will return to you,” says the Lord who rules over all.

“But you ask, ‘How can we return?’

⁸ “Will a mere human being dare to steal from God? But you rob me!

“You ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“By holding back your offerings. You also steal from me when you do not bring me a tenth of everything you produce. ⁹ So you are under my curse. In fact, your whole nation is under my curse. That is because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the entire tenth to the storerooms in my temple. Then there will be plenty of food. Test me this way,” says the Lord. “Then you will see that I will throw open the windows of heaven. I will pour out so many blessings that you will not have enough room to store them. ¹¹ I will keep bugs from eating up your crops. And your grapes will not drop from the vines before they are ripe,” says the Lord. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed. Your land will be delightful,” says the Lord who rules over all.