Malachi
Chapter 1
1 God’s message for Israel through Malachi.
2 God says, “I have loved you. But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother? But I loved Jacob.
3 I disliked Esau and destroyed his hills and land, leaving it empty for the wild desert creatures.
4 Edom says, “We are poor, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But God says, “They may build, but I will destroy. They will be known as ‘Land of Evil’ and ‘People God is always angry with.’”
5 You will see and say, “God will be honored from Israel’s border.”
6 A son respects his father, and a servant respects his master. So if I am a father, where is my respect? And if I am a master, where is the fear of me? says God to you, priests, who look down on my name. And you ask, How have we looked down on your name?
7 You offer dirty bread on my altar, and you ask, “How have we made you dirty?” By saying, “God’s table is not important.”
8 If you sacrifice blind animals, isn’t that wrong? And if you sacrifice lame or sick ones, isn’t that wrong too? Would your governor be happy with that or accept you? says God of all.
9 And now, please ask God to be kind to us; this happened because of you. Will he respect you? says God Almighty.
10 Is there anyone among you who would close the doors for nothing? You don’t even light a fire on my altar without being paid. I am not pleased with you, says God, and I won’t accept your offerings.
11 From sunrise to sunset, my name will be great among the nations. Everywhere, people will offer incense and pure sacrifices in my name because my name will be great among the nations, says God of hosts.
12 But you have dishonored it by saying, “God’s table is dirty;” and its fruit, even its food, is despised.
13 You also said, “Look, how tiring this is!” and you scorned it, says God; and you brought the torn, the lame, and the sick animals; you offered this as a gift: should I accept this from you? says God.
14 Let the trickster be cursed, who has a male in his flock and promises it but sacrifices a damaged one to God instead. For I am a great King, says God, and my name is feared among the nations.