Malachi 3:13-15
New English Translation
Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency
13 “You have criticized me sharply,”[a] says the Lord, “but you ask, ‘How have we criticized you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped[b] by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord of Heaven’s Armies?[c] 15 So now we consider the arrogant to be blessed; indeed, those who practice evil are successful.[d] In fact, those who challenge[e] God escape!’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Malachi 3:13 tn Heb “your words are hard [or “strong”] against me”; cf. NIV “said harsh things against me”; TEV, NLT “said terrible things about me.”
- Malachi 3:14 tn Heb “What [is the] profit”; NIV “What did we gain.”
- Malachi 3:14 sn The people’s public display of self-effacing piety has gone unrewarded by the Lord. The reason, of course, is that it was blatantly hypocritical.
- Malachi 3:15 tn Heb “built up” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV “prosper”; NLT “get rich.”
- Malachi 3:15 tn Or “test”; NRSV, CEV “put God to the test.”
Malachi 3:13-15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, “How have we spoken against you?”(A) 14 You have said, “It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts?(B) 15 Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape.”(C)
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