Malachi 1

1 A prophecy: This message came from the Lord concerning Israel through Malachi.

The burden of the woorde of the Lord to Israel by the ministerie of Malachi.

2 I have loved you, says the Lord. But you ask, “How have you loved us?” Wasn't Esau Joseph's brother? the Lord responds. But I loved Joseph

I haue loued you, sayth the Lord: yet yee say, Wherein hast thou loued vs? Was not Esau Iaakobs brother, saith the Lord? yet I loued Iaakob,

3 and despised Esau. I have made Esau's mountain homeland into a wasteland, and turned his inheritance into a desert for jackals.

And I hated Esau, and made his mountaines wast, and his heritage a wildernes for dragons.

4 The people of Edom may be saying: “We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the Lord Almighty says, They may try and build, but I will tear down. They will be called a land of wickedness, and the people those who make the Lord angry forever.

Though Edom say, wee are impouerished, but we will returne and build the desolate places, yet sayeth the Lord of hostes, they shall builde, but I will destroy it, and they shall call them, The border of wickednes, and the people, with whome the Lord is angrie for euer.

5 You will see this destruction with your own eyes, and you will say, “The Lord is great, even beyond the borders of Israel.”

And your eyes shall see it, and yee shall say, The Lord will be magnified vpon the border of Israel.

6 A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. So if I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? says the Lord Almighty to you priests who show contempt for me. But you ask, “How have we shown contempt for you?”

A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruant his master. If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my feare, sayth the Lord of hostes vnto you, O Priestes, that despise my Name? and yee say, Wherein haue we despised thy Name?

7 By making defiled offerings on my altar. Then you ask, “How have we defiled you?” By saying the Lord's table doesn't deserve respect.

Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar, and you say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is not to be regarded.

8 When you offer a blind animal as a sacrifice, isn't that wrong? Or when you offer an animal that is crippled or sick, isn't that wrong? Would you give such gifts to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Would he be kind and show favor to you? asks the Lord Almighty.

And if yee offer the blinde for sacrifice, it is not euill: and if ye offer the lame and sicke, it is not euill: offer it nowe vnto thy prince: will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saieth the Lord of hostes?

9 So why don't you try being kind to God, begging him to be merciful to you? But when you bring such offerings, why should he show favor to you? asks the Lord Almighty.

And nowe, I pray you, pray before God, that he may haue mercie vpon vs: this hath beene by your meanes: will hee regard your persons, sayth the Lord of hostes?

10 I really wish one of you would shut the Temple doors to stop you lighting pointless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept offerings from you.

Who is there euen among you, that would shut the doores? and kindle not fire on mine altar in vaine, I haue no pleasure in you, sayeth the Lord of hostes, neither will I accept an offering at your hande.

11 I am honored by nations from the farthest east to the distant west; everywhere people make offerings to me of incense and pure sacrifices. I am honored among the nations, says the Lord Almighty.

For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same, my Name is great among the Gentiles, and in euery place incense shalbe offred vnto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name is great among the heathen, sayeth the Lord of hostes.

12 But you dishonor me when you say the Lord's table doesn't deserve respect, and that its food can be treated with contempt.

But ye haue polluted it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof, euen his meat is not to be regarded.

13 You say, “All this is too much trouble!” and you sniff scornfully at it, says the Lord Almighty. But when you bring animals that are stolen or crippled or sick and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept what you're giving? asks the Lord.

Ye said also, Beholde, it is a wearines, and ye haue snuffed at it, sayth the Lord of hostes, and ye offred that which was torne, and the lame and the sicke: thus yee offred an offring: shoulde I accept this of your hand, sayth the Lord?

14 Cursed are those who cheat by vowing to bring a ram as a sacrifice and then offers an imperfect animal to the Lord. For I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and I am respected among the nations!

But cursed be the deceiuer, which hath in his flocke a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth vnto ye Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, sayth the Lord of hostes, and my Name is terrible among the heathen.