1 And now, this command is for you, O priests.

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2 If you do not listen and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them because you do not take it to heart.

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 rebuke your descendants and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your feasts, and it will be carried away with you.

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 Then you will know that I have sent this command to you so that My covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord of Hosts.

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 with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.

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 True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.

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 lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts.

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 you have turned aside from the way, and by your teaching have caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant with Levi, says the Lord of Hosts.

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 So I have also made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.

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 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why then do we deal treacherously with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

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 has been unfaithful, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

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 from the tents of Jacob anyone who does this—any one who is alert and responsive—but still presents an offering to the Lord of Hosts.

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 is another thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, weeping and groaning, because He no longer regards your offering or accepts it with favor from your hands.

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 you ask, 'Why?' Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your companion and the wife of your covenant.

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 Did not God make them one, with a portion of His spirit in their union? And what was the one seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

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 against the wife of his youth.

16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says that He hates divorce, and He covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be unfaithful.

For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you ask, 'How have we wearied Him?' By saying, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the eyes of the Lord, and He delights in them,' or 'Where is the God of justice?'

Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?