This is the message of the LORD to Israel, delivered through Malachi.

The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

I have loved you, says the LORD. But you ask, 'How have you loved us?' Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother? declares the LORD. Yet I have loved Jacob,

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,

but Esau I have hated. I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and given his inheritance to the wild creatures of the desert.

And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Though Edom may say, 'We have been destroyed, but we will rebuild the ruins,' this is what the LORD of Hosts says: They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. They will be called 'The Wicked Land,' and 'The people the LORD is angry with forever.'

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.

Your own eyes will see it, and you will say, 'The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel!'

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am a father, where is the honor I deserve? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise my name. But you ask, 'How have we despised your name?'

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?

By presenting defiled food on my altar. But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' By saying, 'The LORD's table is contemptible.'

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.

When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you offer lame or sick animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? says the LORD of Hosts.

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.

Now plead with God to be gracious to us. Will he accept you? This offering came from your hands. How can he be pleased with you? says the LORD of Hosts.

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.

Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors so you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you, says the LORD of Hosts, and I will not accept any offerings from your hands.

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.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of Hosts.

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.

But you profane it by saying, 'The LORD's table is defiled, and its food is contemptible.'

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.

You say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it with contempt, says the LORD of Hosts. When you bring stolen, lame, or sick animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands? says the LORD.

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.

Cursed is the deceiver who has a male animal in his flock and vows to give it, but instead sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great King, says the LORD of Hosts, and my name is to be feared among the nations.

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.