Malachi 1:1–14

¹A pronouncement:

The word of Jehovah concerning Israel by means of Mal′a‧chi:

²“I have loved ​YOU​ people,” Jehovah has said.

And ​YOU​ have said: “In what way have you loved us?”

“Was not E′sau the brother of Jacob?” is the utterance of Jehovah. “But I loved Jacob,³and E′sau I have hated; and I finally made his mountains a desolated waste and his inheritance for the jackals of [the] wilderness.”

⁴“Because E′dom keeps saying, ‘We have been shattered, but we shall return and build [the] devastated places,’ this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘They, for their part, will build; but I, for my part, shall tear down. And people will certainly call them “the territory of wickedness” and “the people whom Jehovah has denounced to time indefinite.”⁵And ​YOUR​ own eyes will see [it], and ​YOU​ yourselves will say: “May Jehovah be magnified over the territory of Israel.”’”

⁶“‘A son, for his part, honors a father; and a servant, his grand master. So if I am a father, where is the honor to me? And if I am a grand master, where is the fear of me?’ Jehovah of armies has said to ​YOU, O priests who are despising my name.

“‘And ​YOU​ have said: “In what way have we despised your name?”’

⁷“‘[By] presenting upon my altar polluted bread.’

“‘And ​YOU​ have said: “In what way have we polluted you?”’

“‘By ​YOUR​ saying: “The table of Jehovah is something to be despised.”⁸And when ​YOU​ present a blind [animal] for sacrificing: “It is nothing bad.” And when ​YOU​ present a lame [animal] or a sick one: “It is nothing bad.”’”

“Bring it near, please, to your governor. Will he find pleasure in you, or will he receive you kindly?” Jehovah of armies has said.

⁹“And now, please, soften the face of God, that he may show us favor. From ​YOUR​ hand this has occurred. Will he receive any of ​YOU​ men kindly?” Jehovah of armies has said.

¹⁰“Who also is there among ​YOU​ that will shut the doors? And ​YOU​ men will not light my altar—for nothing. No delight do I have in ​YOU,” Jehovah of armies has said, “and in the gift offering from ​YOUR​ hand I take no pleasure.”

¹¹“For from the sun’s rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place sacrificial smoke will be made, a presentation will be made to my name, even a clean gift; because my name will be great among the nations,” Jehovah of armies has said.

¹²“But ​YOU​ men are profaning me by ​YOUR​ saying, ‘The table of Jehovah is something polluted, and its fruit is something to be despised, its food.’¹³And ​YOU​ have said, ‘Look! What a weariness!’ and ​YOU​ have caused a sniffing at it,” Jehovah of armies has said. “And ​YOU​ have brought something torn away, and the lame one, and the sick one; yes, ​YOU​ have brought [it] as a gift. Can I take pleasure in it at ​YOUR​ hand?” Jehovah has said.

¹⁴“And cursed is the one acting cunningly when there exists in his drove a male animal, and he is making a vow and sacrificing a ruined one to Jehovah. For I am a great King,” Jehovah of armies has said, “and my name will be fear‐inspiring among the nations.”