Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

An oracle. The message of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

2 I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet all of you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. ‘But you ask, “How have you shown love to us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ explains the Lord of hosts, ‘yet I loved Jacob,

3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

but hated Esau, and made his mountains a desolation, and transformed his ancestral land into a wilderness.

4 Whereas Edom says, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.

When Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruined places”’ the Lord of hosts says, ‘They may build, but I will throw down. They will be called, “The border land of wickedness,” the people against whom the Lord is angry forever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and all of you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, “the Lord’s greatness reaches beyond the border of Israel.”’

6 A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And all of you say, Wherein have we despised your name?

‘A son honours his father and servant their master. If I am a father, where is my honour? And if I am a master, where is the one who fears me? So says the Lord to you, priests who despise my name. You ask, “How have we despised your name?”

7 All of you offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and all of you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that all of you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

You offer on my altar bread that is polluted. You ask, “How have we polluted it?” Because you say, “The table of the Lord is contemptible.”

8 And if all of you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if all of you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.

When you offer the blind animal for sacrifice, “It doesn’t matter!” And when you offer the lame and the sick “It doesn’t matter!” Give an animal like that to your governor; will he be pleased with it? Will he receive you favourably?’ says the Lord of hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, plead to God that he will be gracious unto us: this has been by your means: will he regard your persons? says the LORD of hosts.

Now, plead for the favour of God with such an offering, so that he may be gracious to us. ‘Would I receive any of you favourably?’ says the Lord of hosts.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nothing? neither do all of you kindle fire on mine altar for nothing. I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

‘If only one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you could not kindle useless fires on my altar! I have no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Nor will I accept an offering from your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the LORD of hosts.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place they offer to my name a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,’ says the Lord of hosts.

12 But all of you have profaned it, in that all of you say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his food, is contemptible.

‘But you profane me when you say, “The table of the Lord is polluted, and its food is contemptible.”

13 All of you said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and all of you have snuffed at it, says the LORD of hosts; and all of you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus all of you brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? says the LORD.

You say also, “How tired we are of all this!” and you sniff contemptuously at it. You have brought the blind, the lame and the sick as offerings. Should I accept this from your hand?’ says the Lord of hosts.

14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

‘Cursed be the cheat, who has in his flock a valuable male, but vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished animal! For I am a great king,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and my name is feared among the nations.’