Malachi 1
New American Standard Bible
God’s Love for Jacob
1 The (A)pronouncement of the word of the Lord to (B)Israel through [a]Malachi:
2 “I have (C)loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I (D)have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have (E)made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Though Edom says, “We have been (F)beaten down, but we will [b](G)return and build up the ruins”; this is what the Lord of armies says: “They may (H)build, but I will tear down; and people will call them the [c]territory of wickedness, and the people [d]with whom the Lord is indignant (I)forever.” 5 And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “(J)The Lord [e]be exalted beyond the [f]border of Israel!”
Sin of the Priests
6 “‘A son (K)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a (L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My [g]respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the (M)priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting (N)defiled [h](O)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (P)table of the Lord is to be despised.’ 8 And when you present a (Q)blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your (R)governor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 9 “But now, do indeed (S)plead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. [i]With such an offering on your part, will He (T)receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 10 “If only there were one among you who would (U)shut the [j]gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of armies, “(V)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the (W)rising of the sun even to its setting, (X)My name shall be (Y)great among the nations, and in every place (Z)frankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be (AA)great among the nations,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “But you are (AB)profaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘See, [k]how (AC)tiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the Lord of armies, “and you bring what was taken by (AD)robbery and what is (AE)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (AF)accept it from your hand?” says the Lord. 14 “But cursed be the (AG)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a (AH)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (AI)King,” says the Lord of armies, “and My name is [l](AJ)feared among the [m]nations.”
Footnotes
- Malachi 1:1 Or My messenger
- Malachi 1:4 Or rebuild the ruins
- Malachi 1:4 Lit border of wickedness
- Malachi 1:4 Or whom the Lord has cursed
- Malachi 1:5 Or will be great
- Malachi 1:5 Or territory
- Malachi 1:6 Lit fear
- Malachi 1:7 Lit bread
- Malachi 1:9 Lit This has been from your hand
- Malachi 1:10 Or doors
- Malachi 1:13 Lit it is hardship
- Malachi 1:14 Or revered
- Malachi 1:14 Or Gentiles
Malachi 1
New Living Translation
1 This is the message[a] that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi.[b]
The Lord’s Love for Israel
2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord.
But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”
And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.”
4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.”
But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’”
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?[c]’
“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[d] by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer[e] 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!
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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.
