Malachi 3:14

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

You have said, 'Serving God is futile. What profit is there in keeping his requirements or walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    You have said, 'It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?'.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    Ye have said,{H559} It is vain{H7723} to serve{H5647} God;{H430} and what profit{H1215} is it that we have kept{H8104} his charge,{H4931} and that we have walked{H1980} mournfully{H6941} before{H6440} Jehovah{H3068} of hosts?{H6635}

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    Ye have said{H559}{(H8804)}, It is vain{H7723} to serve{H5647}{(H8800)} God{H430}: and what profit{H1215} is it that we have kept{H8104}{(H8804)} his ordinance{H4931}, and that we have walked{H1980}{(H8804)} mournfully{H6941} before{H6440} the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}?

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Ye haue sayed: It is but lost laboure, to serue God: What profit haue we for kepynge his commaundementes, and for walkinge humbly before the LORDE off hoostes?

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    Ye haue saide, It is in vaine to serue God: and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandement, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hostes?

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Ye haue saide: it is but vayne to serue God, and what profite is it that we haue kept his commaundement, & that we haue walked humbly before the face of the Lorde of hoastes?

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    Ye have said, It [is] vain to serve God: and what profit [is it] that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    You have said, 'It is vain to serve God;' and 'What profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Hosts?

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    Ye have said, `A vain thing to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in black, Because of Jehovah of Hosts?

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    You have said, It is no use worshipping God: what profit have we had from keeping his orders, and going in clothing of sorrow before the Lord of armies?

  • World English Bible (2000)

    You have said, 'It is vain to serve God;' and 'What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    You have said,‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD of Heaven’s Armies?

Referenced Verses

  • Isa 58:3 : 3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' Yet on the day of your fasting, you pursue your own desires and oppress all your workers.
  • Zeph 1:12 : 12 At that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who settle like wine on its dregs, and say to themselves, 'The Lord will do neither good nor harm.'
  • Zech 7:3-6 : 3 They asked the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts and the prophets, 'Should I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done for so many years?' 4 Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying: 5 Say to all the people of the land and the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me?' 6 And when you eat and when you drink, aren’t you eating and drinking for yourselves?
  • Jas 4:9 : 9 Grieve, mourn and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
  • Joel 2:12 : 12 Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
  • Job 21:14-15 : 14 Yet they say to God, 'Depart from us! We have no desire to know your ways.' 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we profit if we entreat him?
  • Job 22:17 : 17 They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to us?'
  • Job 34:9 : 9 For he has said, 'A man gains nothing by delighting in God.'
  • Job 35:3 : 3 For you ask, 'What advantage is it to me? What do I gain by not sinning?'
  • Ps 73:8-9 : 8 They scoff and speak with malice; with arrogance, they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut through the earth. 10 Therefore His people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, 'How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?' 12 Behold, these are the wicked—always carefree, they increase in wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Mal 3:13
    84%

    13 Your words against me have been harsh, says the Lord. But you ask, 'What have we spoken against you?

  • Mal 2:17
    79%

    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?'

  • Mal 1:12-14
    3 verses
    78%

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

    13 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.

    14 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.

  • Job 21:15
    78%

    15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we profit if we entreat him?

  • Job 34:9
    75%

    9 For he has said, 'A man gains nothing by delighting in God.'

  • Hab 2:13
    74%

    13 Is it not from the LORD of Hosts that peoples labor for fire and nations grow weary for nothing?

  • Mal 1:6-10
    5 verses
    74%

    6 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?'

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

    8 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.

    9 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.

    10 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.

  • Mal 3:15
    74%

    15 Now we call the proud blessed, for those who do evil prosper, and those who test God escape.'

  • Isa 1:12
    74%

    12 When you come to appear before Me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of My courts?

  • Hag 1:5-7
    3 verses
    74%

    5 Now, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: Consider carefully your ways.

    6 You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but are never satisfied. You drink but never have enough to be filled. You put on clothes but are not warm. The one who earns wages earns them to put into a bag with holes.

    7 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Consider carefully your ways.

  • Isa 58:3
    73%

    3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' Yet on the day of your fasting, you pursue your own desires and oppress all your workers.

  • Mal 2:13
    73%

    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.

  • Mal 3:7-8
    2 verses
    73%

    7 From the days of your ancestors, you have turned away from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. But you ask, 'How shall we return?'

    8 Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings.

  • Jer 2:5
    72%

    5 This is what the LORD says: ‘What fault did your ancestors find in me that they strayed so far from me? They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

  • Jer 25:7
    72%

    7 But you have not listened to me, declares the LORD, and you have provoked me to anger with the works of your hands, to your own harm.

  • Jer 16:10
    72%

    10 When you tell these people all these words, they will ask you, 'Why has the LORD declared such a great calamity against us? What is our guilt? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?'

  • Hag 1:9
    72%

    9 You expected much, but it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew it away. Why?” declares the LORD of Hosts. “Because My house remains in ruins, while each of you is busy with your own house.

  • Neh 13:18
    72%

    18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath!"

  • Dan 9:14
    72%

    14 Therefore, the LORD has kept the disaster in store and brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything He does, yet we have not obeyed His voice.

  • Jer 8:8
    71%

    8 How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us,’ when the false pen of the scribes has produced lies?

  • Jer 14:19
    71%

    19 Have You utterly rejected Judah? Does Your soul loathe Zion? Why have You struck us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace, but no good has come; for a time of healing, but there was only terror.

  • Exod 5:17
    71%

    17 Pharaoh said, "Lazy! That’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.'

  • Job 27:12
    71%

    12 Look, all of you have seen this yourselves; why then do you speak nonsense?

  • Jer 2:29
    71%

    29 Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.

  • Hag 2:17
    71%

    17 I struck you—all the work of your hands— with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to me—this is the declaration of the LORD.

  • Amos 6:13
    71%

    13 You who rejoice in nothingness and say, 'By our own strength we have taken horns for ourselves!'

  • Mal 2:8-9
    2 verses
    71%

    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.

    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.

  • Hos 9:5
    71%

    5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festival, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

  • Jer 2:11
    71%

    11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glory for worthless idols.

  • 1 Sam 12:21
    70%

    21 Do not turn aside, for you would be following things that are worthless and cannot benefit or deliver you, for they are meaningless.

  • Job 35:3
    70%

    3 For you ask, 'What advantage is it to me? What do I gain by not sinning?'

  • Eccl 3:9
    70%

    9 What does the worker gain from all their toil?

  • Jer 5:19
    70%

    19 And when you ask, 'Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?' you are to tell them, 'As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.'

  • Jer 7:8
    70%

    8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.

  • Mic 3:11
    70%

    11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.'

  • Joel 1:13
    70%

    13 Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests; wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister to my God, for grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.

  • Joel 1:16
    70%

    16 Isn’t the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?

  • Lam 3:40
    70%

    40 Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.

  • Dan 9:10
    70%

    10 We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following His instructions, which He gave us through His servants the prophets.

  • Jer 5:12
    70%

    12 They have lied about the Lord and said, 'He won't do anything! No disaster will come upon us; we will not see sword or famine.'