MalachiChapter 1

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¹This is a heavy message.
It is the word of the LORD to Israel.
It came through Malachi.a ²"I have loved you," says the LORD.
But you ask, "How have you loved us?"
"Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD.
"Yet I have loved Jacob, ³but I have hated Esau.
I have made his mountains a wasteland.
I have left the land he was given to the desert jackals." ⁴Edom may say, "We have been crushed, but we will rebuild the ruins."
But this is what the LORD of Hosts says:
"They may build, but I will tear down.
They will be called the Land of Evil.
They will be called a people the LORD is angry with forever. ⁵You will see this with your own eyes.
And you will say, 'The LORD is great, even beyond the borders of Israel!'" ⁶"A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master.
If I am a father, where is my honor?
If I am a master, where is your fear of me?"
The LORD of Hosts says this to you priests who look down on my name.
"But you ask, 'How have we looked down on your name?' ⁷You do it by bringing unclean food to my altar.
But you ask, 'How have we made you unclean?'
You do it by saying the table of the LORD is not worth respect. ⁸You offer blind animals as a sacrifice. Is that not wrong?
You bring animals that are lame and sick. Is that not wrong?
Try giving them to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you? Would he be kind to you?" asks the LORD of Hosts. ⁹"So now go and beg God for his favor.
Will he be kind to us?
Since this has come from your hands,
will he show you favor?" asks the LORD of Hosts. ¹⁰"Oh, I wish one of you would shut the temple doors!
Then you would stop lighting useless fires on my altar.
I am not pleased with you," says the LORD of Hosts.
"I will not accept any offering from your hands. ¹¹My name will be great among the nations,
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
In every place, incense and pure offerings will be brought in my name.
For my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of Hosts. ¹²"But you dishonor my name when you say,
'The table of the Lord is unclean.
Its fruit, its food, is not worth respect.' ¹³You also say, 'Oh, what a bother!'
And you turn up your nose at it," says the LORD of Hosts.
"You bring offerings that were stolen, or are lame or sick!
Should I accept these from your hands?" asks the LORD. ¹⁴"But cursed is the cheater who has a good male animal in his flock.
He makes a vow to give it.
But then he sacrifices an animal with defects to the Lord.
For I am a great King," says the LORD of Hosts.
"My name is to be feared among the nations.