Malachi
Mal.1
[1] The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.
[2] I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet
ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
[3]
And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
[4]
Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith
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 hath indignation for ever.
[5] And your eyes shall see, and ye
shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.
[6] A son honoureth 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?
saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised
thy name?
[7] Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In
that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
[8] And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?
and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with
thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
[9] And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will
be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.
[10]
Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine
altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering
at 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, saith the LORD of hosts.
[12] But ye have profaned
it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
[13]
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and
ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept
this of your hand? saith the LORD.
[14] But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and
voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts,
and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
Mal.2
[1] And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
[2] If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to
heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I
will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
[3] Behold, I
will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one
shall take you away with it.
[4] And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my
covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
[5] My covenant was with him of life and peace; and
I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
[6] The law of
truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and
did turn many away from iniquity.
[7] For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek
the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
[8] But ye are departed out of the
way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD
of hosts.
[9] Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according
as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
[10] Have we not all one father? hath
not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning
the covenant of our fathers?
[11] Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in
Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath
married the daughter of a strange god.
[12] The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master
and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of
hosts.
[13] And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and
with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at
your hand.
[14] Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the
wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of
thy covenant.
[15] And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one?
That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously